Top seed Coco Gauff overcomes 14 more double-faults to advance to Canada Open fourth round
Coco Gauff entered the tournament on a losing streak since winning the French Open, losing her opening matches in Berlin and Wimbledon.
New Delhi: World number two Coco Gauff battled past Veronika Kudermetova in a three set tie-breaker as she bounced back from a set and break down to reach round of 16. Just two days after surviving 23 double-faults, she managed to overcome 14 double-faults to beat the Russian 4-6, 7-5, 602 in the National Bank Open. Seven of the 14 double faults came in the first set which saw Gauff slip away her 4-1 lead.
After the triumph Gauff said, "It was a tough match. I thought I did well mentally, especially on the return. I was playing an opponent that served really well. Obviously, I would like to serve better on my end, but overall, just happy to get through.”
Gauff has been struggling with her serve and even pulled out of last week's tournament in Washington to work on it and she even felt that she had made some progress. She definitely needs to find a way as in two matches she has 37 double faults which might cost her as she moves deeper in the draw.
The 21-year-old entered the tournament on a losing streak since winning the French Open, losing her opening matches in Berlin and Wimbledon.
Gauff said, "It does give positives that I am winning these matches having literally one part of my game on a crutch. If I can stand on both feet, then I can only imagine that it will be a lot more straight-forward and a lot easier for me.”
What next for Gauff?
Coco Gauff will next play 18-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko who won over Marie Bouzkova in three-sets thriller by a scoreline 1-6, 6-3 and 6-0.
Mboko is the last Canadian standing in the draw. After the win she said, "It was a very difficult match, I feel like, mentally and physically for me. I'm just really happy to have come out with the win.”
Kessler and Elena Rybakina also advances
In other fixtures McCartney Kessler of the United States upset the fourth seeded Mirra Andreeva of Russia 7-6 (5), 6-4. In the next round, Kessler will lock horns with Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk who defeated Daria Kasatkina of Australia 3-6, 6-3 and 7-6 (4).
Elsewhere, Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska knocked out eight seeded Emma Navarro 7-5, 6-4. She will next take on Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina, who beat Romania's Jaqueline Cristian 6-0, 7-6 (5) in the last match.