FIRED-UP GAUFF POWERS PAST PAOLINI TO MAINTAIN HOPES OF BACK-TO-BACK TITLES
Coco Gauff bounced back from a chastening opening defeat at the WTA Finals in Riyadh to keep her title defence alive courtesy of a straight sets win over Jasmine Paolini.
The 2024 champion was far more solid throughout as she ousted the Italian eighth seed by a 6-3 6-2 scoreline in one hour and 16 minutes.
Speaking on court following her win, Gauff said: “I’m really happy with how I played today.
“It’s definitely a turnaround from my first match, but the beauty of the tournament is that you have another chance to prove yourself.
“Hopefully I can do well in my next one to give myself a chance to stay in the tournament.”
The third seed took charge early and surged into a 4-1 lead before a pair of double faults helped Paolini to break back.
However, Gauff immediately broke again with the help of a trademark cross-court backhand and confidently served out a 40-minute opener to love.
The Italian was more consistent early in the second but was undone by some supreme Gauff defence in the fifth game and the American calmly consolidated to lead 4-2.
Paolini had been suffering with illness on arriving at the tournament and she looked resigned to her fate as Gauff broke again, before sealing victory with a much more assured display in terms of her serve and forehand.
Paolini’s hopes now hang by a thread and she will be eliminated if Jessica Pegula upsets world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka later this afternoon.