Emma Raducanu backed to beat Coco Gauff at Australian Open and 'get back on the map'

Emma Raducanu will be 'back on the map' beating Coco Gauff at the Australian Open, John McEnroe has claimed. The British No. 1 hasn't made it past the second round of her four Grand Slams since her US Open 2021 triumph and is now world No. 77.

And she has never beaten a top 10 player before taking on world No. 7 Gauff for the first time. "It was hard to see his struggles," McEnroe said.

"But she's playing someone who's gone at a slower pace and matured more gradually - Gauff is only 18 but has been on tour for years. It's a great second-round match and I think this will be the first time in a long time that Emma can really let loose and play more freely.

"It's going to be interesting to see what happens there. I think Coco is in the best position right now to make a deep run and I think it will be soon when she wins a major event in the next two years at the most. For me, she is a big favorite.

"She seems to be playing better and better and serving more consistently than she has. I would say this is a game she should win, but a game that could put Raducanu back on the map, this which would be good for her.

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20-year-old Raducanu had to forfeit after twisting his ankle in the second round and was in a race against time to get fit for the first Grand Slam of the season. On the other hand, the 18-year-old American won her third WTA title to arrive in Melbourne among the favorites in an injury-ravaged women's field.

“It will probably be the first time in a few years that Emma Raducanu has not felt the type of pressure she has felt since winning the US Open,” former world No. 1 McEnroe says at Eurosport. "So it's probably a good thing to allow her to be more free and do her thing, because for me that's the type of player, the type of person and the type of talent that we could use in the game. top 10."

The three-time Wimbledon champion has also claimed Jack Draper has top-ten potential after the British No.3 lost to Rafa Nadal when he was suffering from cramps. Draper has gone from world No. 265 at the start of 2022 to world No. 38. And McEnroe said, "He's made incredible progress," McEnroe said.

"But you see what level you have to reach to compete with the best of all time in a best-of-five-set match, that's the difference. For me, he's one of the most dangerous players out of the top 10 if you were playing two out of three sets, but when you have to take the best of five, that's a whole other thing.

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"I think he would be a breath of fresh air and would be great for our sport if he breaks through because he definitely has top-10 potential, he's crafty, he knows what he's doing , he has a good idea of ​​the game. This conditioning part, you don't know how...