Australian Open results: Coco Gauff fights back to join Aryna Sabalenka in quarter-finals
Coco Gauff beats Belinda Bencic from a set behind to join defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in Australian Open fourth Quarterfinals.
The American third seed was not at his best, but defeated Swiss player Bencic 5-7 6-2 6-1.
Previously, Sabalenka easily defeated 17-year-old Russian player Mira Andreeva 6-1 6-2.
Goff’s victory in 34-degree heat, the hottest day of the tournament so far, extended his 20-year winning streak to 11 games.
“Maybe a few years ago, if I lost the first set, I could have lost the match, and I remember my dad saying ‘We have to toughen you up,'” Gauff said.
“I just want to put myself in a position where I can walk off the field and be proud of myself.”
Meanwhile, Belarusian top seed Sabalenka, 26, remains on track to win a third consecutive Australian Open title after beating Andreeva in just 62 minutes at Rod Laver Arena.
It was the two-time champion’s 18th consecutive victory at Melbourne Park and drew with another Russian, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, in the quarter-finals.
She defeated Croatia’s Donna Vicchi 7-6 (7-0) 6-0 in the fourth round earlier on Sunday.
Gauff will face No. 11 seed Paola Badosa in the quarterfinals. The Spaniard defeated Serbian Olga Danilovic 6-1 7-6.
If they both win the quarterfinals, Sabalenka and Gauff will meet in the semifinals.