Defending champion Coco Gauff stored her hopes alive of reaching the knockout phases of the WTA Finals with victory over Jasmine Paolini.
Defeat by fellow American Jessica Pegula in her opening group match in Riyadh had put Gauff in hassle however she eased to a 6-3 6-2 win in opposition to Paolini.
The Italian has been scuffling with sickness and once more was unable to indicate her finest degree bodily, with Gauff overcoming a wobble halfway by means of the primary set.
The third seed advised Sky Sports activities: “I’m really happy with how I played, definitely a turnaround from my first match.
“It is the fantastic thing about this match, you’ve one other likelihood to show your self. Hopefully I can do effectively in my subsequent one to present myself an opportunity to remain on this match.”
Paolini is eradicated having not received a set, whereas Gauff is more likely to must beat Aryna Sabalenka to present herself an opportunity of reaching the semi-finals.
Laura Robson on Gauff’s victory: “A really solid performance. She’s almost her toughest critic at times and you just hope she’s able to appreciate how well she’s come out and played given everything else.”
Story of the Tape
Sabalenka wins match of the match
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Highlights of Aryna Sabalenka vs Jessica Pegula from the WTA Finals
Sabalenka prevailed in a tricky contest in opposition to Pegula to assert her second group-match victory of the match.
The world No 1 earned a straight-sets win over Paolini in her opening sport, however confronted a decent battle in opposition to Pegula and ultimately clinched a 6-4 2-6 6-3 victory.
“Pegula is an incredible player. She always pushed me to the limit. I was thinking, I’m going to go after my shots, stay aggressive, put all of that speed back on her and hope that I get my chance,” mentioned Sabalenka.
Tim Henman on Sabalenka’s victory: “No doubt the best match of the tournament with such quality tennis and brilliant ball-striking.”
How the Steffi Graf Group seems…
Sabalenka now has two wins within the group and can face Gauff subsequent, whereas Pegula comes up in opposition to Paolini.
Djokovic progresses to Athens quarter-finals
Novak Djokovic overcame Alejandro Tabilo for the primary time to succeed in the quarter-finals on the Hellenic Championship in Athens.
Chilean Tabilo, ranked 89th on the planet, had overwhelmed the 24-time grand slam singles champion in each of their earlier conferences, which got here on clay in Rome final 12 months and Monte Carlo in April.
However high seed Djokovic served 13 aces and confronted only one break level on his solution to a 7-6 (3) 6-1 victory on the exhausting courts of the Greek capital to succeed in the 225th tour-level quarter-final of his profession.
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There had been considerations over Novak Djokovic’s means to complete his season after he retired from his Six Kings Slam third-place match with Taylor Fritz
Djokovic advised the ATP web site: “Playing against Tabilo, who I had never won against – we played two times on clay, this year and last year and he won both of these matches – I was more under tension before the match than some other matches and I really tried to draw the energy from the crowd.”
A decent tussle within the opening set noticed solely two break factors, each in Tabilo’s opening service sport, earlier than Djokovic dominated the tie-break.
The 38-year-old clinched the primary break of the competition within the fourth sport of the second set, which proved to be the decisive second as Djokovic clinched victory in a single hour and 39 minutes.
Norrie into Metz quarters
Cameron Norrie overcame a brutal three-set match in opposition to Arthur Cazaux that completed after midnight native time to make his solution to the quarter-finals within the Moselle Open.
The Brit had a tricky problem forward of him as he performed his second Frenchman of the match, however after a battle lasting almost three hours, Norrie took a 7-6 (7-1) 6-7 (7-8) 6-2 win.
Seventh seed Norrie broke Cazaux within the opening sport, however the French participant responded with a break of his personal within the sixth and went on to dominate the tie-break and take the primary set.
One other tight encounter adopted within the second set, with each gamers holding their serve earlier than Norrie prevailed to degree – and the 30-year-old completed strongly, breaking Cazaux’s serve twice to seal the match.
Stats from Cameron Norrie and Arthur Cazaux’s match on the Moselle Open 2025
“Yeah, it’s always a battle, he’s [Cazaux] a really talented player,” Norrie mentioned.
“He has an amazing serve which I was really struggling to read and I had to really fight hard to get myself in the match.
“I used to be not likely feeling good within the first set and a half, I needed to decide some battles with myself, but it surely was good to get into the match there and I began the third set actually sturdy.
“I wanted to be playing and I appreciate everyone sticking around making the atmosphere great and it was nice to have a couple of supporters in the crowd as well.”
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