Coco beats Cirstea to set up 3rd-round match against Osaka
Coco Gauff has beaten Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 to set up a third-round match against defending champion Naomi Osaka at the Australian Open.
The 15-year-old Gauff rallied after losing the first set and got the pivotal service break in the next-to-last game before serving out against 29-year-old Cirstea, who is playing at the Australian Open for a 12th time.
Gauff started the tournament with her second first-round win over Venus Williams in three majors, following her upset over the seven-time Grand Slam champion at last year's Wimbledon.
Osaka had to overcame swirling winds on Margaret Court Arena to beat Zheng Saisai 6-2, 6-4 in one of the first matches on Day 3.
Gauff reached the fourth round on her Wimbledon debut and the third round at the U.S. Open.
HEADLINES
- Swiatek to face Sabalenka in Madrid Open final for 2nd year in a row
- Tennis great Billie Jean King to appear on Wheaties box
- Madrid Open roundup: Alcaraz's bid to win 3rd straight title falls flat
- Swiatek rallies to reach Madrid Open semifinals again
- Nadal beats De Minaur in Madrid as top-seeded Sinner, Swiatek advance