Coco Gauff knocks Sabalenka down at Lexington tournament

Coco Gauff continues to show at 16 that she is not afraid of anything or anyone in the world of tennis. After beating a Top-3 like Naomi Osaka at the last Australian Open, the young American tennis player surpassed another of the great tennis players of the circuit, the Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka, by 7-6 (4), 4-6 and 6-4 after almost three hours of play at the Lexington Top Seed Open.

Both players exchanged numerous breaks in the first round of the match before the tie-break was decided, wheree five consecutive start minibreaks achieved by Gauff tipped the balance. In the second set Sabalenka took the initiative after breaking Gauff's serve with a blank game in the fourth game. Despite Gauff's reaction by returning the break in the ninth game, in the tenth Sabalenka again broke the service of the American with a blank game to force the final third set. In this heat, both players returned to exchange breaks until in the ninth game Gauff broke Sabalenka's serve and then closed the game with his serve on the first match ball he had.

Gauff will now face another of the fittest players on the WTA circuit, Tunisian Ons Jabeur, in the Lexington quarterfinals. who reached the quarterfinals at the last Australian Open, and who this Wednesday suffered to win in three sets against Belarusian Olga Govortsova 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. On the same side of the picture Jennifer Brady, who beat the Polish Magda Linette (6-2 and 6-3) will meet in the quarterfinals with the Czech Marie Bouzkova, who beat the Russian Anna Blinkova (6-4 and 6-2). This Thursday, turn for the duel between Serena and Venus Williams (6.30 pm Spanish time, 12.30 pm local time), and the matches of Yulia Putintseva or Leylah Fernandez among others.

Lexington Top Seed Open Day Results

Round of 16

Jennifer Brady (USA) to Magda Linette (POL, 6) 6-2 and 6-3

Coco Gauff (USA) to Aryna Sabalenka (BLR, 2) 7-6 (4), 4-6 and 6-4

Marie Bouzkova (RCH) to Anna Blinkova (RUS) 6-4 and 6-2

Ons Jabeur (TUN, 8) to Olga Govortsova (BLR) 3-6, 6-2 and 6-4