EMMA THE GLADIATOR

Resilient Raducanu is Rome and dry

- YASMIN SYED

EMMA RADUCANU showed her ruthless streak in Rome, rebounding from a first-set loss to a demolition win.

And as she warmed up for the French Open, the Brit also refused to fall for mind games from Russian Veronika Kudermetova as she booked a last-16 Italian Open showdown with American Coco Gauff.

The world No.49 regrouped when she failed to close out the first set, winning 12 of the next 13 games for a 5-7 6-0 6-1 victory.

Former top-10 player Kudermetova took an off-court medical time-out with Raducanu leading 5-0 in the second and the Brit questioned her opponent's motives.

Raducanu said: “It was difficult but luckily I was 5-0 up when she took the time-out.

“I kind of knew it was to try to throw me off!

“I kept my cool and luckily I had a good cushion and served it out.

“In the third set, I was really on it.