Defending champion Gauff reaches Auckland quarterfinals

Reigning US Open champion Gauff dropped her first service game and faced two break points on her third before dominating the rest of the match against Fruhvirtova, the 16-year-old qualifier from Czech Republic.

USA’s Coco Gauff acknowledges the crowd after beating Czech Republic’s Brenda Fruhvirtova in the round of 16 in Auckland on Thursday. | Photo Credit: AP

Top seed Coco Gauff progressed to the quarterfinals of the Auckland Classic with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over fellow teenager Brenda Fruhvirtova on Thursday.

Reigning US Open champion Gauff dropped her first service game and faced two break points on her third before dominating the rest of the match against Fruhvirtova, the 16-year-old qualifier from Czech Republic.

“I thought that I played well,” Gauff said on court after her win.

Another day at the office 💼

The defending champion @CocoGauff is into the quarterfinals after defeating Fruhvirtova in straight sets. #ASBClassicpic.twitter.com/BkMNPmiXj7

— wta (@WTA) January 4, 2024

“[Fruhvirtova] started off playing really well, and I was able to raise my level. I thought I served well and did better on the returns, and I think I played a great match today.”

Gauff, who is defending her title at the WTA 250 event, next takes on World No. 42 Varvara Gracheva.

In the other half of the draw, seventh seed Petra Martic of Croatia beat China’s Yue Yuan 6-2, 6-2 and will play the winner of the match between number two seed Elina Svitolina and Emma Raducanu.

Former US Open champion Raducanu has slipped to 301 in the world after being sidelined by injury for the past eight months.