Google News
Super talented American Cori Gauff has been the youngest player in the girls' singles draw at Roland Garros but that is hardly an obstacle for the Atlanta native who is playing only her seventh ITF junior event. The 14-year-old came to Paris after winning her first professional match back home in Florida and she is on a course towards the first Grand Slam crown after losing in the final in New York last September, still at the age of 13.
Cori has opened her Roland Garros campaign with two commanding wins and she is now into the last eight after toppling the 2nd seed Xinyu Wang 6-4 6-4 in an hour and 14 minutes. It was another very solid performance from Gauff, losing serve twice but converting four out of six break chances to notch the win in straight sets.
The Chinese born in 2001 has managed to overcome a 4-0 deficit in set number two but Cori found the way to break again in the last game of the match to set up the quarter-final clash against the 6th seed Eleonora Molinaro who has reached the final in all six tournaments she played so far in 2018.
The Chinese served at only 46% and she needed more against such a strong opponent, who also outplayed her in the baseline rallies and the most important points. Cori was on fire right from the start, dropping three points on serve in the opening set to control the scoreboard and keep the pressure on the other side of the net.
Wang saved a break point in game four with a solid backhand attack but she was powerless on the return as Gauff struck one service winner after another. Cori held at 15 in game seven with another unreturned serve and her serve stayed intact at 4-4 as well, forcing Wang to serve for staying in the set.
The American claimed the last two points at 30-30 for a crucial break that gave her a 6-4 lead and the momentum before the rest of the match. Cori made a quick hold in the opening game of the second set and she broke in game two after a backhand error from Xinyu, cementing her lead with another strong performance on serve for a 3-0.
The Chinese lost her ground completely, netting another backhand in game four to find herself close to the exit door, with Gauff dominating in both the serve and return games. Wang finally did something more on the return in game five to reduce her deficit and she held after a deuce to get closer to the American, trailing 4-2.
A great serve pushed Cori 5-2 up and she served for the win at 5-3, looking good to close the match in the style. Wang saved a match point with a powerful forehand and she broke back after an unforced error from Gauff who ruined a handful advantage she has built.
The 10th game proved to be the longest of the match and Xinyu wasted four game points before Cori converted her third match point following a backhand error from Wang, sealing her place in the last eight. ALSO READ: Borg, Lendl, Federer and Nadal: The Open era most one-sided rivalries