Coco Gauff Delivers Sharp Performance to Defeat Sakkari at Indian Wells
What a difference 48 hours can make for Coco Gauff and her serve at the BNP Paribas Open.
After struggling with 21 double faults in her three-set opener, Gauff produced a far more consistent performance on Monday, defeating two-time Indian Wells finalist Maria Sakkari 7-6 (1), 6-2 to reach the Round of 16.
Stronger Serving and Big-Match Composure
While Gauff still recorded nine double faults, six of them came in a chaotic final game. However, in the match’s key moments, she was clinical, particularly in the first-set tiebreak, which she dominated 7-1.
She landed every first serve in the tiebreak and did not commit a single unforced error over the eight points played.
Gauff Gains Revenge Over Sakkari
Gauff, the No. 3 seed, faced a tricky third-round test against 29th seed Sakkari, who had reached the Indian Wells final in 2022 and 2024. Adding to the challenge, Sakkari had defeated Gauff in last year’s semifinal.
This time, however, the 2023 US Open champion flipped the script.
“Resilience, I guess,” Gauff said when asked what she took from the match. “Overall, it was much better than the previous match. Just trying to keep getting better as the rounds go on. I lost to Maria last year in the semifinal, so it felt good to get a little revenge today—even though I love her.”
Gauff Overcomes Late Serving Wobble
Despite her strong play throughout, Gauff encountered a shaky final service game, committing six double faults. But she managed to close it out in style, sealing the win with a forehand winner.
Next Up: A Round of 16 Clash
Gauff now moves on to the Round of 16, where she will face the winner of Belinda Bencic vs. Diana Shnaider.
