Iva Jovic (L) and Coco Gauff (R) in frame. Image Credit: AFP
Coco Gauff vs Iva Jovic: It is a showdown between two American tennis players in the WTA Italian Open, as Coco Gauff is taking on Iva Jovic. Gauff, who comes into this match being ranked number four in the WTA Rankings, was stunned by a tremendous display from her opponent in the first set. It was a closely contested clash between the two American tennis players. After the first 10 games, it was all squared up before Jovic struck a series of great shots and won the next two games to win the first set.
It was the 17th-ranked Iva Jovic who won the first game of the first set and looked in great touch as she did not let her opponent score a single point. However, Coco Gauff showed all her class and won the next three games quite comfortably. The world number four lost only four points in these games, putting her compatriot on the back foot. However, Jovic then showed why these two players are so evenly matched as she won the next two games to square it up after the sixth game.
The first set continued to remain like a seesaw, with both players not giving up. Jovic and Gauff won the seventh and eighth games, respectively, with the score being 4-4. It was the same result in the next two games as well, before Jovic gave her all in the 11th game. She won the 11th game, which was the longest of the set, stretching to 11 points. The 12th and the set-winning game was fairly easier for Jovic, which she won 40-30.
Coming to this Round of 16 clash against her compatriot, Coco won a couple of matches at the Italian Open. She defeated the Czech Republic’s Tereza Valentova in the Round of 64 in straight sets. It was a dominant display from the American player as she won 6-3 and 6-4 to proceed further.
In the Round of 32, it was Argentina’s Solana Sierra who gave a challenge early on to Gauff. She won the first set 7-5. But it was the former number 2-ranked Coco who made a strong comeback in the next two sets. She won the second set without dropping a game. In the final set, Gauff won 6-4 to set up a clash against Iva Jovic.
Iva Jovic was certainly the underdog coming into her clash against Coco Gauff. However, she has shown in this Italian Open why the 18-year-old is one of the best talents in the sport. Playing against McCartney Kessler in the Round of 64, it was not a smooth-sailing match. She won in straight sets, but both of those went to a tie-breaker, testing the endurance and stamina of the teenager. She then faced Taylor Townsend in the Round of 32, where Jovic once again won in straight sets, but this time around it was not as complicated as her Round of 64 match.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
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