Coco Gauff produces phenomenal performance over Sakkari, earns her first WTA 500 title at 2023 DC Open
WTASunday, 06 August 2023 at 22:25
Coco Gauff defeated Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-3, and secured her first WTA 500 title at the
Mubadala Citi DC Open.
The North
American player finished a great week to kickstart the US Open swing and
comfortably claimed the fourth title of her career. This is Coco Gauff's first
WTA 500 title, which will boost her confidence for the upcoming WTA 1000 events
in Canada and Cincinnati.
Gauff achieved victories over Haley Baptiste, Belinda Bencic, Ludmila Samsonova, and
Maria Sakkari, conceding an average of fewer than four games per match to her
opponents and not dropping any sets.
Sakkari
faced yet another failure in the final stages and lost in her first final of
the year and sixth consecutive final. The Greek player has lost in seven finals
and has only won one tournament in Rabat in 2019.
The first
set began with Sakkari committing several unforced errors, indicating the
pressure she felt from the start. Gauff got her first break opportunity and
took a 3-0 lead.
Although
the Greek player showed a slight glimpse of a comeback after breaking Gauff's
serve in the fifth game, she couldn't hold her own service due to unforced
errors, eventually losing the set to the North American player 6-2.
With the
advantage on her side, Gauff encountered some difficulties at the start of the
second set and gave her service away, giving her opponent an advantage this
time. Sakkari hit some good shots but consistently made unforced errors, unlike
the focused American player during the match's development.
At 3-2 and
with Sakkari serving, Gauff displayed her best tennis and capitalized on the
pressure to win the last four games consecutively, clinching the title on her
second match point with a final score of 6-3, 6-2.
Sakkari and
Gauff were almost evenly matched in the percentage of first serves won (50% and
51% respectively), but the difference was in the number of first serves they
won. Sakkari only won 46% of her first serves, compared to Gauff's 72%. In the
second serve category, Sakkari dropped to 33%, while the 19-year-old Gauff
achieved 43%.
In the
Canadian Open, both players will enter as seeds and receive a bye in the first
round. In Sakkari's case, she is the 8th seed and will await Elina Svitolina or
a qualifier in the second round. As for Gauff, she will face the winner of the
match between wildcard Rebecca Marino and a qualifier in the second
round."
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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