Experience won out over talent. That is the conclusion that the duel between Maria Sakkari and Cori 'Coco' Gauff in the first round of Cincinnati Masters 1,000, which is being held these days at the US Open facilities in New York. The Greek had a very uneven duel in which the American was not up to the task, in just 66 minutes: 6-1 and 6-3.
Coco started the game erratically, with a succession of unforced errors that caused his rival to take a break advantage at the first change. With tremendous confidence, Sakkari completely overflowed Gauff with an excellent variety of heights that bothered at all times to the American pearl. The set was resolved by fast track in favor of the Greek: 6-1 in 25 minutes of play.
In the second set the script was repeated. Sakkari clenched her fist and looked defiantly after certifying the break in the third game. Gauff, desperate at times and without finding an answer to the solidity of the Greek, she succumbed 6-3 without fighting too much battle, something unusual for her.
In another of the matches of the day, the Russian Alexandrova left out a world top-20 like the Kazakh Rybakina (No. 17 WTA), in a tight match that was resolved by small details: 7-5 and 7-6 (6).