Coco Gauff's resilience shone through at the Internazionali BNL d'Italia as she overcame a set deficit to defeat Paula Badosa 5-7, 6-4, 6-1. The reigning US Open champion, who has faced serving struggles on clay, displayed her mental fortitude to survive a spirited performance from the former world No. 2.
Badosa, returning from injury, started strongly, taking the first set 5-7. However, Gauff's determination was evident as she fought back in the second set, breaking Badosa twice to level the match. The third set was all Gauff, as she broke Badosa three times to secure a convincing victory.
Gauff's victory was particularly impressive given her recent struggles with her serve. She committed 11 double faults but managed to overcome this weakness with her aggressive groundstrokes and clutch play in key moments.
The match was also notable for the camaraderie between the two players. Gauff had previously reached out to Badosa during her injury struggles, and their friendship was evident on the court.
Up next for Gauff is a challenging encounter against No. 7 seed Zheng Qinwen, who defeated Naomi Osaka earlier in the day. This will be the first meeting between the two players, and Gauff will need to continue her impressive form to advance further in the tournament.
Tags: #CocoGauff, #PaulaBadosa, #InternazionaliBNLdItalia, #Tennis, #ClayCourt
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