World number two Coco Gauff advanced to the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Lucia Bronzetti.
Gauff had a smoother path to the last 16, winning her opener in straight sets and receiving a walkover in the next round. Bronzetti, ranked 61st, had battled through three-set matches in all previous rounds but quickly fell 3-0 behind. Though she broke Gauff once, the American took the first set in 33 minutes.
In the second set, Gauff again took an early lead but was broken to love in the third game. Bronzetti fought back and had a break point at 2-2, but Gauff held on. The set stayed tight until Bronzetti double-faulted twice while serving to stay in the match, allowing Gauff to break and seal victory.
Gauff, who won the Cincinnati Open and US Open in 2023, said she aimed to stay aggressive despite the light balls and Bronzetti’s lack of pace.
She will next face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini, who defeated Barbora Krejcikova 6-1, 6-2 in just 71 minutes. Krejcikova, a two-time Grand Slam champion, needed a medical timeout in the second set.
Paolini praised her opponent, saying, “She wasn’t at 100%, but she’s an amazing player. I just tried to stay focused until the end.”
