**Emma Raducanu Set to Clash with Coco Gauff in Indian Wells Second Round (Image: Getty)**
Emma Raducanu could lock horns with Coco Gauff in the second round of Indian Wells. If the Brit triumphs in her opener, she’ll face the world No. 3, who skips straight to round two with a bye.
The pair crossed paths once before at the 2023 Australian Open, where Gauff clinched a straight-sets victory. Though it looked straightforward, Gauff later confessed to pre-match jitters about facing Raducanu. Seeded seventh then, Gauff met a hobbled Raducanu—nursing an ankle injury from days prior—in round two. Raducanu had muscled through her first match to set up the clash of teen prodigies.
Raducanu skyrocketed to fame at 18, capturing the 2021 US Open as a qualifier fresh from her A Levels. Gauff, meanwhile, burst onto the scene at 15, dazzling at Wimbledon. Their Aussie Open duel carried heft, but Gauff prevailed 6-3, 7-6(4), thwarting Raducanu’s late surge. “We both started shaky, but it was decent quality,” Gauff reflected. “We were nervous—it’s been hyped since the draw dropped. Glad it entertained.”
Raducanu lauded Gauff’s prowess: “She’s an amazing mover and athlete—keeps balls alive, forcing you tighter to the lines, teasing out errors.” Now, Indian Wells offers a rematch if Raducanu tops Moyuka Uchijima in her opener.
This marks Raducanu’s return since a disturbing incident in Dubai, where a man showing “fixated behaviour” appeared at her second-round match. He’d approached her the day prior, prompting her to alert the WTA. Spotted courtside, he was booted mid-match. The WTA noted, “On February 17, Emma was approached off-court by this man. Identified during her Dubai match, he was removed and barred from WTA events pending assessment.” Dubai police said Raducanu dropped charges, and the man pledged to keep his distance.
