Coco Gauff grabs first win since Australian Open, setting up clash with in-form Karolina Pliskova in Dubai
Gauff could meet world No.1 Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals, who also won on Tuesday (20 February) over Sloane Stephens. Aryna Sabalenka, in her first match since her AO win, was upset by Donna Vekic.
Tennis
Coco Gauff is back to her winning ways on the tennis court.
The reigning US Open champion scored her first victory since falling to Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals of the Australian Open last month, holding off a second-set challenge from Elisabetta Cocciaretto to win 6-1 7-5 and advance to the third round of the Dubai Championships.
An in-form Karolina Pliskova awaits her there, the former world No.1 having won 11 matches in a row. (She withdrew in Doha last week due to injury concerns ahead of the semis.)
The world No.3 Gauff moves to 11-2 on the season with the triumph, having lost in the first round of Doha to Katerina Siniakova.
She and Pliskova have split their two previous meetings.
"I was playing well [today] and then I got close to making it 4-0 and I lost my focus and she got consistent and aggressive," Gauff said on the WTA international broadcast.
About Pliskova, she added: "She's a tough opponent. She's been playing well. It's going to be a tough match but I'm looking forward to it."
Earlier in the day, world No.1 Iga Swiatek withstood a stiff challenge from fellow Grand Slam champ Sloane Stephens, winning 6-4 6-4. She and Gauff could meet in semi-finals.
Sabalenka wasn't as lucky, however. Playing in her first match since successfully defending her crown in Melbourne, she appeared to hit a wall leading a set and 2-0 over Donna Vekic. Vekic roared back, capturing the match 6-7(5) 6-3 6-0 in two hours and 22 minutes.
Other Dubai winners included No.4 seed Elena Rybakina, Wimbledon champ Marketa Vondrousova, Elina Svitolina and AO runner-up Zheng Qinwen.
