Coco Gauff advances to Italian Open round of 16, matches career milestone from 2024

Coco Gauff has advanced to the Round of 16 at the Italian Open after defeating Poland’s Magda Linette in straight sets. With this win, the American tennis star is now set to face one of the tournament’s most challenging opponents, Emma Raducanu, who outlasted Veronika Kudermetova in a three-set battle.

Showcasing a dominant serve and strong form on clay, Gauff continues to make her case as a serious contender for the title in Rome. Following Iga Swiatek’s surprising second-round exit at the hands of Danielle Collins, Gauff has emerged as one of the frontrunners to reach the final at the 2025 Italian Open.

In addition to her key victory over Linette, Gauff achieved a major career milestone. With Swiatek’s early elimination and her own progression into the Round of 16, Gauff climbed to the World No. 2 spot in the WTA rankings on Sunday, matching her highest career position to date.

The last time Gauff held the No. 2 ranking was in June 2024, following her impressive performance at Roland Garros. Nearly a year later, she has reclaimed that spot and now sits just behind Aryna Sabalenka in the latest rankings.

Gauff’s 2025 season: Mixed results with key milestones

While Coco Gauff has delivered some impressive performances on clay this year, her 2025 season has been inconsistent overall. She has competed in nine tournaments so far, reaching just two finals: the recent Madrid Open, a WTA 1000 event, and the United Cup earlier in the year.

At the Madrid Open, Gauff fell in straight sets to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. However, she made headlines at the United Cup by defeating former World No. 2 Iga Swiatek. Gauff also showed strong form in the early rounds of the Australian Open, before being knocked out in the quarterfinals by Paula Badosa.

Gauff has played 28 matches in 2025, with only seven losses to her name. Her consistent play has helped her rise to World No. 2 in the WTA rankings. With the French Open approaching, the American star is eyeing another major milestone, this time in singles, after securing the doubles title at Roland Garros last year.

Gauff set to face Raducanu in Italian Open round of 16

In the upcoming round of 16 at the Italian Open, Gauff will go head-to-head with British standout Emma Raducanu. The 22-year-old Raducanu, already one of the most recognized names in women’s tennis, will meet Gauff for just the second time on the WTA Tour. The American won their only previous encounter.