Coco Gauff digs deep to keep China Open title defence alive
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Coco Gauff of the US celebrating after winning her women's singles round-of-32 match against Leylah Fernandez of Canada 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing on Sept 28.
PHOTO: EPA
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BEIJING – Defending champion Coco Gauff withstood a gruelling examination by Leylah Fernandez on Sept 28, battling through 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to keep her hopes of winning back-to-back China Opens alive.
“I did what I needed to do to win today,” the 21-year-old American said.
“It was very physical,” she said. “We were going back and forth.”
Gauff looked in control in the first set but the gritty Fernandez hit back in the second to force a decider. The 25th-ranked Canadian survived a match point to level at 5-5 but Gauff finally clinched the 2hr 45min marathon when Fernandez netted.
The world No. 3 next plays Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic, who beat Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, for a place in the quarter-finals.
In the men’s draw, Lorenzo Musetti apologised on court after his match on Sept 28 for an outburst at coughing fans the day before.
“Well first of all, I want to say... a public apology,” the 23-year-old Italian said in English, after beating France’s Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-3 to move into the quarter-finals.
Fans booed when he entered the court for the match and some were making loud guttural coughing noises.
“I totally understand your point and I... regret what I’ve said and what I’ve done, so sorry, thanks for understanding,” he said.
The on-court interviewer, however, did not translate his apology into Chinese for the fans, only relaying Musetti’s brief comments about the match.
He will next face American rising star Learner Tien.
In the women’s draw, Germany’s Eva Lys stunned world No. 10 and former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.
“I was trying to get a top-10 win the whole year,” said the 23-year-old Lys, ranked 66.
“This is my first one. I’m very happy I finally got it done.”
Next up for her is 39th-ranked McCartney Kessler of the US in the last 16.
Poland’s Iga Swiatek is the top seed at the WTA 1000 event after world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka withdrew. The world No. 2 faces Camila Osorio of Colombia in the last 32 on Sept 29.
Italy’s Jannik Sinner is the top seed in the men’s ATP 500 event being played alongside the women’s tournament. The world No. 2 will be in action on Sept 29 against Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in the quarter-finals.
He was joined in the last eight on Sept 28 by former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, who saw off Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain 6-3, 6-3.
The Russian will face German world No. 3 Alexander Zverev, who outlasted France’s Corentin Moutet 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.
“I’m looking forward to the quarter-finals and playing my good friend Daniil,” Zverev said after seeing off his racket-snapping opponent.
He held on in the first set to get the better of an angry Moutet, whose racket met its end against the 26-year-old’s leg.
Over in Tokyo, world No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz again looked untroubled by his ankle injury as he powered 25 winners in the 6-2, 6-4 win over American Brandon Nakashima to book his semi-final spot at the Japan Open.
With his ATP Tour-leading 65th match win of the season, the 22-year-old Spaniard equalled his personal-best tally in a single season from 2023.
He will next face three-time Grand Slam finalist Casper Ruud, after the Norwegian saw off Australian qualifier Aleksandar Vukic 6-3, 6-2.
Said Alcaraz: “I think I just played unbelievable today, I’m not going to lie. I felt like I could do everything on court, playing every shot.”
The other semi-final is an All-American affair between Jenson Brooksby and world No. 5 Taylor Fritz. Fritz saw off compatriot Sebastian Korda 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, while Brooksby upset 11th-ranked Dane Holger Rune 6-3, 6-3.
“Once I get on a roll from a couple of matches, I just think I’m really able to get into my zone. I think that’s one of my big strengths,” Brooksby said.
Fritz, who beat Alcaraz a week earlier at the Laver Cup, said he had struggled with the weather in Tokyo, with temperatures around 27 deg C for his late morning match.
“I wasn’t expecting it to be that hot and humid,” he said. “Tough to play in that heat and play a lot of physical, long points.” AFP, REUTERS
