She applied pressure on Gauff’s vulnerable serve, breaking twice in the first set, but couldn’t maintain the level as Gauff dialed up her aggression. The match swung back in Gauff’s favor as she won the second set to love and she dropped just one game in the third to close out the win.
“She was playing really well, and she’s one of those people that’s hit or miss sometimes,” Gauff explained. “You’re just stuck in the fine line of being aggressive, and just making her play.
“I think I got too stuck on the other end of it, and in the second and third sets I just tried to be aggressive when I could. I made some adjustments on the return, and I think that made a difference.”
Gauff booked her spot in Miami’s round of 16 for the fourth time. She has yet to go past this stage at her home tournament and will face Romania’s Sorana Cirstea next for a spot in the quarterfinals.
