Coco Gauff is extremely dangerous: Ashleigh Barty

World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty returns to Veronika Kudermetova in Rome yesterday. Pics/AFP

World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty conceded she was braced for a tough battle with "extremely dangerous" US teenager Coco Gauff after both advanced to a Last 8 showdown at the Italian Open on Thursday.

Coco Gauff

The top-seeded Australian won 6-3, 6-3 against Russian Veronika Kudermetova in the third round to set up a clash with Gauff, 17, who earlier ousted Madrid Open winner Aryna Sabalenka. Sabalenka shocked Barty in last weekend's Madrid final and Barty, 25, 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." Gauff, ranked 35th, reached her fourth quarter-final of the year with a 7-5, 6-3 win over World No. 4 Sabalenka.

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