Miami Open: Gauff keeps local hopes alive as she beats Sakkari to make last 16
Coco Gauff defeated Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-4 on Saturday. She’ll play the winner of the match between Magda Linette and Linda Fruhvirtova next
© Julien Nouet / Tennis Majors
American Coco Gauff, the No 3 seed, moved into the last 16 of the Miami Open by winning against Greek Maria Sakkari, the No 28 seed, 6-2, 6-4 at the Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday.
Gauff is the youngest player to reach back-to-back fourth rounds in Miami since Garbine Muguruza in 2012 and 2013.
“Obviously, you have the pressure, with family and friends here, you want to perform well in front of them,” the Florida native told Tennis Channel after the win and later added in her presser:
“The goal today, was to go out there and have fun on the court. That’s what I feel like, that’s how I’m playing. I was just trying to be loose out there. I think in the past, there was a little bit of pressure playing home. But I feel like because, I don’t know, I feel like I play my best tennis when I’m playing relaxed and playing loose. I think that’s what I was trying to emulate today.”
Gauff, ranked No 3, will face the winner of the match between Pole Magda Linette and qualifier Linda Fruhvirtova next.
In the previous round of the Miami tournament, the 21-year-old American beat Sofia Kenin (6-0, 6-0).
Sakkari, ranked No 51, edged out Italian Lucia Bronzetti (6-3, 5-7, 6-4) in the previous round of the Miami tournament.
Miami WTA 1000, other third-round results (Hard Rock Stadium, hard, USD 8.963.700, most recent results first):
- Amanda Anisimova vs. Mirra Andreeva
- Emma Raducanu vs. McCartney Kessler
- Anna Kalinskaya vs. Jessica Pegula
- Madison Keys vs. Alexandra Eala
- Anna Blinkova vs. Marta Kostyuk
- Elise Mertens vs. Iga Swiatek
- Karolina Muchova vs. Elina Svitolina
- Clara Tauson vs. Paula Badosa
- Qinwen Zheng vs. Taylor Townsend
- Rebeka Masarova vs. Danielle Collins
- Magda Linette vs. Linda Fruhvirtova
- Aryna Sabalenka (1) beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse (Q): 6-1, 0-0 ret.
- Naomi Osaka beat Hailey Baptiste (WC): 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-4
- Ashlyn Krueger beat Leylah Fernandez (26): 6-1, 7-5
- Jasmine Paolini (6) beat Ons Jabeur (31): 4-3 ret.
