Top Seed Open: Coco Gauff upsets 2nd seed Aryna Sabalenka

Lexington, Aug 13 (IANS) Teenage sensation Coco Gauff pulled off another impressive win at the ongoing inaugural Top Seed Open, upsetting No.2 seed Aryna Sabalenka to reach her first WTA quarterfinal of the year.

Gauff defeated Sabalenka 7-6(4), 2-6, 6-4 in a match that lasted for two hours and 48 minutes on Center Court on Wednesday.

“It’s pretty much impossible to play your best tennis for all three hours of a match. Keeping the level high throughout was pretty tough, but that’s just tennis, playing in different conditions, and just starting back on tour,” said the American teenager after the match as per the WTA website.

“I’m not too upset with how I played; I’m most proud of how I handled myself, staying composed on the pressure points.”

For a place in the semi-finals, Gauff will now face rising Tunisian star Ons Jabeur who overcame a slow start to defeat qualifier Olga Govortsova. After losing the first set, Jabeur recovered strongly to win the match 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 in an hour and 50 minutes.

“My game was there, I know that I could mix it up a little bit and really bother her with my game, but I just didn’t find my rhythm in the beginning,” Jabeur said after the match.

–IANS

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