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Six hours after warming up for her remaining, Coco Gauff has triumphed at Auckland’s Australian Open lead-up match, prevailing in a rain-soaked decider.
Gauff beat Spain’s Rebeka Masarova 6-1 6-1 for her third profession title, claiming the ASB Traditional over a difficult week.
Persistent rain performed havoc with the match schedule, forcing two of Gauff’s earlier matches inside with out followers, and dragging out Sunday’s decider.
After an exquisite day, the heavens opened 10 minutes earlier than the match’s scheduled begin at 5pm NZDT, kicking out the beginning time to six.45pm.
World No.7 Gauff led 5-1 and held a set level earlier than showers intervened 35 minutes later.
Lastly again on court docket at 9.15pm, Gauff wanted 5 set factors to say the opening set and was by no means significantly challenged within the second, successful simply earlier than 10pm.
“It has been nice, truthfully an incredible week for me regardless of the rain,” Gauff mentioned.
“I can not ask for a greater begin for my season.
“A primary title on laborious (courts) since I used to be 15, so I am pleased to lastly do effectively on the floor that I really like.”
Though irritating for all in attendance, the wet remaining was a becoming finish to the wettest Auckland match in reminiscence.
A number of periods had been washed out, with play staged inside on coaching courts.
Using the inner courts was not with out controversy.
Emma Raducanu, a second-round loser, blamed the floor for an ankle damage that has put her Australian Open participation unsure, whereas Venus Williams withdrew from the 12 months’s first main citing damage suffered in her loss.
Williams started her second-round match exterior and was topic to prolonged delays earlier than resuming inside, the place she misplaced 7-5 within the third.
Gauff was capable of rise above the fray, even saying the within courts helped her Australian Open preparation resulting from their increased velocity.
She did not drop a set en path to the ultimate and was at all times in management in opposition to Masarova.
The favored American dug into her toolkit, taking part in with various velocity, peak and dip, staving off a break level with a trademark booming backhand.
Gauff, the highest seed, performed with a composure on the large factors which Masarova lacked.
After dropping her serve for the second time, Masarova – who gained by means of from qualifying to succeed in her first WTA remaining – slumped to the bottom and slapped her racquet on the court docket, not with venom however disappointment.
At 2-1 within the second set, Masarova clung on for a tricky service maintain which drew a squeal: a uncommon on-court outburst from Gauff.
Her subsequent show of emotion got here after the championship level, as she pumped her fist in the direction of her field on successful the trophy.
The title is Gauff’s first since Could 2021, and first on laborious courts because the Linz Open in 2019, confirming her standing as a challenger on the Australian Open.
-AAP
