Ash Barty ‘wowed’ as she enters tennis danger zone

World No. 1 Ash Barty conceded she was braced for a tough battle with “extremely dangerous” US teenager Coco Gauff after both advanced to a last-eight showdown at the Italian Open.

The top-seeded Australian won 6-3 6-3 against Russian Veronika Kudermetova in the third round to set up a clash with 17-year-old Gauff, who earlier ousted Madrid Open winner Aryna Sabalenka.

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Sabalenka shocked Barty in last weekend’s Madrid final and the 25-year-old conceded she was wary of her first meeting with Gauff as she warms up for the French Open, which she won in her last appearance at Roland Garros in 2019.

“Coco has shown that she loves to bring her best tennis against the players that challenge her the most,” said Barty.

“She’s extremely dangerous. She’s played an exceptional tournament thus far. She’s got the ability to take the game on. She’s aggressive. She can run. She can trust her legs.

“I think it’s going to be a new challenge, a clean slate for both of us. There will be a period in the match where we’re trying to figure each other out a little bit.

“It’s certainly going to be a new one, but an exciting match no doubt.”

Barty added that she was in awe of the chance to play on the main court in Rome for the first time.

“It’s intimidating, without a doubt. You forget how steep the stands are,” she said. “Literally feels like everyone, the stadium, is surrounding you and on top of you.

“Really cool to be able to walk out there and kind of be wowed a little bit.”

Barty is on a roll.Source:Getty Images

Gauff, ranked 35th, reached her fourth quarter-final of the year with a 7-5 6-3 win over world No. 4 Sabalenka.

“It will be great to see where my level is,” said Gauff of playing Barty. “I mean, she’s the No. 1 player in the world. I have no pressure on me.

“I’m just going to go out there and see what I can do and try my best.”

Six of the WTA’s top 10 players have already exited the Foro Italico, including second seed Naomi Osaka, four-time Rome winner Serena Williams, Sofia Kenin and Petra Kvitova.

Defending champion Simona Halep, the third seed, was forced to pull out with a calf injury in her second-round match.

“Hopefully I can continue that momentum into Paris,” said Gauff, looking ahead to the start of the French Open on May 30.

“Obviously I want to keep going and keep going further. I’m not going to be satisfied until I reach my goal,” added Gauff, who became the youngest WTA title winner since 2004 two years ago in Linz.

“Especially during that time, people were saying, ‘It’s a fluke, it will never happen again’.

“I think I’ve proved all those people wrong. I’m going to continue to prove them wrong.”

Coco Gauff is going to be a handful.Source:Getty Images

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