Coco Gauff started her China Open title protection with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova on Friday in Beijing.
The second-round conflict began with the rivals splitting the primary six video games on serve earlier than Gauff took full management, profitable 9 of the final 10 video games of the match.
The second-seeded American saved all 10 break factors she confronted — together with eight within the first set — and transformed 4 of her 9 break probabilities.
Gauff had extra double faults (5) than aces (4) however received 66 p.c of her service factors and 51 p.c of her return factors.
“I am proud of how I performed,” Gauff stated after the match. “(Rakhimova) performed properly beginning off, and I used to be simply getting used to the circumstances, however I assumed it was a very good match general. I am tremendous joyful to be again right here in Beijing. Clearly, I had nice reminiscences final yr, and I am hoping to make some extra good reminiscences right here.”
Gauff’s third-round opponent is Twenty fifth-seeded Canadian Leylah Fernandez, who beat Greece’s Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-0 in 74 minutes. Gauff has received every of their earlier two matches, together with at this yr’s Australian Open.
Whereas these two superior with out a lot adversity, six seeded rivals fell to unseeded foes in second-round motion on the WTA 1000 occasion.
Czech Barbara Krejcikova defeated No. 9 Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia 7-5, 6-2. American McCartney Kessler defeated No. 20 Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-2, 6-4 for her fifth top-30 win of the yr. Australia’s Priscilla Hon knocked off No. 22 seed Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia.
In a match of home-country rivals, Shuai Zhang defeated No. 31 seed Xinyu Wang 6-4, 6-2 for her first victory in 4 profession conferences. She’ll subsequent face No. 3 Amanda Anisimova, who blew previous Britain’s Katie Boulter with a 6-1, 6-3 win.
Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic eked out a 7-5, 7-5 victory over Thirty third-seeded Magda Linette of Poland whereas German Eva Lys escaped a battle which lasted 2:37 to defeat No. 32 Iva Jovic 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
Sixth-seeded Italian Jasmine Paolini coasted to a 6-1, 6-3 win over Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova and No. 8 Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan outlasted Caty McNally 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. No. 15 Belinda Bencic defeated Katie Volynets 6-3, 6-3 and No. 18 Paula Badosa of Spain defeated Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic 6-3, 7-6 (2).
–Area Degree Media
