Zhu Lin then defeated Venus Williams
Gauff will next take on Zhu Lin, who defeated former World No. 1 Venus Williams after coming back from 5-3 down in the final set.
No. 1 seed Coco Gauff defeated 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin 6-4, 6-4 on Thursday to advance to the ASB Classic quarterfinals.
The match pitted two of the most successful American players of this decade.
World No. 7 Gauff won in one hour and 23 minutes to advance to her first Auckland quarterfinal in her second tournament.
Despite lengthy rain delays that eventually forced the match inside.
In their only previous meeting, which occurred three years prior to Kenin winning the Australian Open, the former World No. 4 defeated Gauff.
In the following two weeks, Kenin won a comeback match against Gauff in the Round of 16 to win the Grand Slam.
However, on Thursday, Gauff exacted her vengeance on the indoor courts in New Zealand by saving six of her seven break points and hitting nine aces.
In the match, Gauff had 14 fewer unforced errors than Kenin and eight more winners.
In the first set, Gauff took a 4-1 lead
However, the 2022 Roland Garros finalist was unable to serve out the set at 5-3, putting Kenin back on serve.
After a Kenin forehand went long on set point, Gauff quickly regained her advantage and broke her opponent for the one-set lead.
Through 5-4, there were no service breaks in the second set.
However, Gauff earned a match point by forcing an error with her powerful backhand, and Kenin failed to convert three game points in that match.
After a final long Kenin forehand, Gauff took advantage of that opportunity.
China’s Zhu Lin, who defeated former World No. 1 Venus Williams 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, will take on Gauff in the quarterfinals.
This was Zhu Lin’s second victory of the week, coming from behind to defeat Williams.
In her first-round victory over Madison Brengle, World No. 84 Zhu saved a match point, and in her final set victory over 2015 ASB Classic champion Williams.
Zhu pulled off another comeback victory over an American
Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, was down a break when the first set’s one-hour rain delay occurred at 2-1.
However, Williams took a one-set lead after the players returned to Stadium Court and won five of the next six games.
But before the rain came back, Zhu battled to a 4-2 lead in the second set.
Two and a half hours later, the match resumed indoors, where Zhu quickly tied the match at one set each.
Williams advanced to her first tour-level quarterfinal since 2019 with a rally crosscourt forehand that put her up a break at 3-2. Williams.
On the other hand, was broken quickly while serving for the match at 5-4.
Zhu used a number of magical plays at 5-5, including two winning drop shots, to hold for 6-5 and save four break points.
Zhu broke Williams for the eighth time to win the match, winning the final four games. That proved to be the turning point.