Gauff crashes out of Eastbourne along with Svitolina

Anastasija Sevastova still has Coco Gauff‘s number.

Following two previous losses to the Latvian, a surface change did not help Gauff. The American fell to 0-3 lifetime in the head-to-head series when she lost to Sevastova 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in round two of the Viking International on Wednesday afternoon. Sevastova recovered from a set and 5-2 down to prevail after one hour and 52 minutes.

The 31-year-old also defeated Gauff in three sets at the 2020 US Open (6-3, 5-7, 6-4) and the 2021 Miami Open (1-6, 6-2, 6-3). For much of the way in Eastbourne, however, it looked like the 17-year-old would finally get some revenge without any trouble. In addition to leading 6-4, 5-2, Gauff also served for the match at 5-3 in the second. The world No 23 was two points away from victory at 30-15, but she lost three points in a row to get broken and that began a downward spiral.

Sevastova broke at 2-2 in the third when Gauff hit back-to-back double-faults and from there it was all over for the teenager.

Svitolina, Andreescu, Bencic, and Jabeur also exit

Next up for Sevastova is Elena Rybakina, who ousted No 2 seed Elina Svitolina 6-4, 7-6(3). It marked the sixth top 10 victory of Rybakina’s career, which includes a recent French Open upset of Serena Williams.

Third-seeded Bianca Andreescu’s next stop will be Wimbledon after she was knocked out by Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 6-3. Andreescu, who is still trying to work her way back to full fitness, won only 50 percent of her first-serve points and 25 percent of her second-serve points while getting broken six times.

No 6 seed Belinda Bencic also crashed out on Wednesday. Facing fellow Swiss Victorija Golubic, Bencic lost 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 31 minutes. The 2015 Eastbourne champion was coming off a runner-up performance last week in Berlin. But an in-form Golubic capitalised on her compatriot’s potential fatigue to pull off the upset.

Like Gauff, Ons Jabeur failed to maintain a set and a break advantage. Looking to build on her historic first-ever WTA title this past weekend in Birmingham, Jabeur fell to Jelena Ostapenko 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. Ostapenko, a former French Open champion who took a wild card into Eastbourne, advanced after one hour and 44 minutes.

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Ostapenko awaits either Iga Swiatek or Daria Kasatkina in the quarter-finals, while Kontaveit and Golubic will go head-to-head. Camilo Giorgi is also into the last eight and will meet either Aryna Sabalenka or Alison Riske. Giorgi, who upset Karolina Pliskova in her opening match, battled past Shelby Rogers 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 on Wednesday.