Coco Gauff described her 6-1, 6-2 victory over Emma Raducanu in the fourth round of the 2025 Italian Open on May 12 as “awkward” due to the challenging windy conditions that made some points difficult to play. Speaking at her post-match press conference, Gauff said, “I needed a little bit of luck because it was super windy, so some points were very awkward to play.” Despite the lopsided scoreline, which saw her dominate the 79-minute match, Gauff acknowledged the tricky environment on the Grand Stand Arena, noting the court’s dry surface compared to others in Rome. “It was tough conditions, super windy and this court is super dry,” she told Sky Sports, grading her performance an “A” for adapting effectively.
Gauff’s commanding display showcased her clay-court prowess, with her heavy, top-spun forehand and relentless defense overwhelming Raducanu, who struggled to find her rhythm. She saved all three break points faced, leveraging her 76% first-serve point win rate to control rallies. However, the match took an unintentionally awkward turn during Gauff’s trademark victory selfie, when Raducanu was captured in the background walking off the court dejectedly, a moment that drew attention for its unfortunate timing.
Gauff expressed respect for Raducanu, stating, “Emma is a tough opponent no matter what surface, she’s tough to play,” and highlighted their shared history as former US Open champions. The win, her second over Raducanu following a 2023 Australian Open victory, propelled Gauff to the quarter-finals against Mirra Andreeva. While she celebrated her performance, Gauff’s “awkward” comment primarily reflected the windy conditions, not the selfie incident, though the latter added a layer of unintended discomfort to the post-match narrative. Raducanu, despite the loss, took positives from her career-best clay run, moving to No. 42 in the live rankings.
