Defending champion Coco Gauff moves into Auckland quarters

AUCKLAND: Defending champion Coco Gauff extended her winning streak at the ASB Classic on Thursday by securing a spot in the quarterfinals with a commanding 6-3, 6-0 win against fellow teenager Brenda Fruhvirtova of Czech Republic.

Gauff, the No.1 seed from the United States, took 70 minutes to defeat 16-year-old Czech Fruhvirtova in their first meeting on tour. The 19-year-old Gauff has now prevailed in her last seven matches at the ASB Classic.

“I thought that I played well. (Fruhvirtova) started off playing really well, and I was able to raise my level. I thought I served well and did better on the returns, and I think I played a great match today,” Gauff said on her on-court interview.

The reigning US Open champion will next face No.8 seed Varvara Gracheva of France, who defeated Swiss qualifier Lulu Sun 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday. It will be Gauff’s first meeting with World No.42 Gracheva.

In the other half of the draw, seventh seed Petra Martic of Croatia beat China’s Yue Yuan 6-2, 6-2.

Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina halted Emma Raducanu’s comeback in the second round of the ASB Classic, battling into the quarterfinals 6-7(5), 7-6(3), 6-1 in 2 hours and 49 minutes.

No.2 seed Svitolina fought back from a set down against Raducanu to set a quarterfinal with No. 5 seed Czech player Marie Bouzkova, who dismissed Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-1.

A narrowly-contested encounter saw Raducanu hold off a late Svitolina charge in the first set, edging the tiebreak despite losing a 5-1 double-break lead.

Raducanu, playing her first tournament following an eight-month injury layoff, seemed to be on the verge of victory when she led 3-1 in the second-set tiebreak, only for Svitolina to rattle off 10 straight points to level the match.

But, the Ukrainian then motored through the decider as No.301-ranked Briton faded. Agencies

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