Coco Gauff beats Elina svitolina to claim second straight Auckland title

Auckland, 

Sunday, 7 january, 2024 

McCreadie Andias 

Teenage sensation Coco Gauff has retained her title at the WTA Auckland Classic, beating Elina Svitolina 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3 in Sunday’s final.

Gauff had flowed smoothly into the finals She without dropping a set, she had dropped only 15 games on her way through the semifinals.

Gauff came from a set down for the first time and it took 2 hours, 23 minutes to complete her victory. Previously, Gauff’s longest match at the tournament had been 1 hour, 22 minutes.

Gauff managed only three aces and had seven double faults. She put only 65 percent of first serves in play and had 43 unforced errors.

However, she chased the win breaking Svitolina only once, in the eighth game.

She served for the match and championship in the next game and had to save a break point before winning on her first match point. She became the first player since Julia Goerges in 2018 and 2019 to win back to back Auckland titles and the first American to do so since Patty Fendick in 1988 and 1989.

“This is the first time ever having to defend a title so I’m really happy I was able to do it today,” Gauff said.

“I’d like to congratulate Elina for an incredible week. What you do, being a mum and coming back so fast and at such a high level is pretty inspiring. Hopefully — not any time soon — I’ll be able to do it like you’ve done it.”

Gauff broke Svitolina in the fourth game of the first set but Svitolina broke back immediately. Svitolina was broken again in the eighth game and, again, broke back straight in a service game in which Gauff had two double faults. The set went to a tiebreak, won comfortably by Svitolina at 7-4.

Gauff started the second set by breaking Svitolina and broke her again in the seventh game. Svitolina broke back in the eighth game but Gauff broke again. She was 15-40 down serving for the set but recovered to level the match.

The third set was a tight one with some extraordinary rallies in which both players mixed power and touch. Gauff took the vital service break in the eighth game and again faced a break point before serving out the set and match.