Gauff outlasts Sabalenka in windy conditions in Toronto

TORONTO (AP) — Tenth-seeded Coco Gauff outlasted sixth-seeded Aryna Sabalenka 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (4) in windy conditions Thursday to reach the National Bank Open quarterfinals.

Sabalenka tossed her racket in frustration after surrendering the deciding point in the match that took 3 hours, 11 minutes.

Both players struggled with the wind at Sobeys Stadium, with Sabalenka committing 18 double faults and Gauff 15. Sabalenka, from Belarus, had 42 unforced errors, 10 more than her American opponent.

Gauff will face Romania’s Simona Halep in the quarterfinals. Halep, the 2016 and 2018 tournament winner in Montreal, beat Switzerland’s Jil Teichmann 6-2, 7-5.

Also, seventh-seeded Jessica Pegula of the United States topped Camila Giorgi of Italy 3-6, 6-0, 7-5.

Bianca Andreescu, the Canadian who won the event in 2019 in Toronto, faced China’s Zheng Qinwen in the night session.