Gauff holds firm to reach French Open fourth round
Coco Gauff held firm against a streaky Dayana Yastremska to secure her place in the French Open fourth round.
Third seed Gauff, runner-up at Roland Garros in 2022, won 6-2 6-4 against the Ukrainian.
Gauff had a double break lead in the second set and served for the match at 5-2 up before 30th seed Yastremska rescued a break.
American Gauff had to then save a further two break points in her next service game before pushing through to secure victory.
Gauff is bidding for a second major singles title after triumphing at last year’s US Open.
“It’s important to expect great things from yourself but I’m 20 and I’m hoping to be playing for another 10 years or so,” Gauff said.
“Going into the Australian Open I was more nervous in the first couple of rounds, but now it’s one match at a time.”
Gauff will face Elisabetta Cocciaretto next after the Italian, ranked 51st in the world, beat Russian 17th seed Liudmila Samsonova 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 to reach the fourth round of a major for the first time.
Qualifier Olga Danilovic also advanced after an emotional 0-6 7-5 7-6 (10-8) win over Donna Vekic.
‘I said play with the heart and not the brain’
Gauff could face a stern test against Cocciaretto, who has beaten two seeded players in her three matches in Paris.
She came out on top in a tough three-setter in the first round against 13th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia and put in another impressive performance against Samsonova.
At 23, she is the youngest Italian woman to reach the last 16 at Roland Garros since Francesca Schiavone in 2001.
“I think I played unbelievable the first games, and after that I was over-thinking,” Cocciaretto said.
“I said to myself: play with the heart and not with the brain. It’s unbelievable for me right now.”
Serbia’s Danilovic was equally emotional when she beat Vekic to also reach the fourth round of a major for the first time.
The 23-year-old beat 11th seed Danielle Collins on Thursday and threw herself to the floor in triumph as she beat Vekic less than 24 hours later.
“I don’t know what to say, I have no words,” Danilovic said.
“There have been so many rain delays but the folks that come to watch, merci beaucoup. Going through for the first time means the world to me.”