Gauff reaches her first career quarterfinal at the Miami Open

By Harvey Fialkov / Staff writer

MIAMI GARDENS — Coco Gauff continued to walk the tightrope in her third consecutive match of the tournament but once again she managed to problem-solve her way into her first Miami Open quarterfinal in seven attempts.

Gauff, the fourth seed from nearby Delray Beach, is now three steps away from crossing off one of the items on her “bucket’’ list, to win her hometown tournament and fourth WTA 1000 event after downing Romanian veteran Sorana Cirstea, 6-4 3-6, 6-2 on an idyllic Monday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.

“Yeah, I guess it wouldn’t have to happen any other way than to put some work in,’’ Gauff said. “I think in the previous times I’ve played here, I’ve had some tough matches. Maybe mentally wasn’t in there. Today, I just wanted to stay mentally in there.”

After converting three service breaks in the opening set, and leading 3-1 in the second, Gauff went on one of her recent walkabouts and dropped the next four games to Cirstea, 35, who’s retiring after this season. As the resilient Gauff continually does, she regained her intensity and went on lockdown to take a 3-0 lead in the third.

However, with Cirstea serving at 40-15, a fan took ill and caused a 10-minute delay. But Gauff remained focused and eventually ended the match with a textbook backhand angled volley winner.

“This year I just came with the mentality of just trying to enjoy the environment and the match instead of maybe focusing on the result,’’ Gauff said. “I think the biggest thing is approaching these tournaments embracing the situation more so than putting pressure on myself.”

Up next for the 22-year-old Gauff is Swiss miss Belinda Bencic, 29, who took out sixth seeded American Amanda Anisimova 6-2, 6-2 in a late-evening match. Gauff, who played Bencic three times last year (win in Beijing and Madrid, but a loss at Indian Wells), is 4-2 against her overall.

“She’s been having a great season, too,’’ Gauff said of Benic, who has won 10 titles. “They’re both capable of winning any tournament any time. I have to be ready either way. But this is what you expect in the later stages of these tournaments.’’

Despite being a regular in the second week of Grand Slams throughout her career oft-injured Czech Karolina Muchova seems to slip quietly through draws without much hoopla or media attention. Yet, her all-court attack is respected by top players who would prefer to see her on the opposite side of the draw.

Muchova took on 20-year-old Alexandra Eala, the Filipina Cinderella from last year’s semifinal run, but on Monday the 14th-ranked Czechian rattled off the first 10 games before wrapping up a 6-0, 6-2 victory in exactly one hour. There were no glass slippers in sight.

“I’d say great preparation before the year started,’’ Muchova said of her hot start that included a title at the WTA 1000 event in Doha last month and a semifinal berth in Brisbane in January.

“I started well in Brisbane, and then it kind of kept growing, keeping myself healthy, being able to play almost week by week, something that I didn’t have in the past. It’s just a lot of matches, and that kind of gives you confidence.”

Eala, ranked a career-high No. 29, has reached three quarterfinals and a semifinal (Auckland) this year. She certainly didn’t overlook Muchova.

“I don’t think she’s underrated,’’ Eala said. “Personally, I think she’s a great player and person. She’s well-decorated and showed me what a great player she was today so she deserves her flowers.”

Muchova will play 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, who outslugged her doubles partner, Russian Mirra Andreeva, 7-6 (4),4-6, 6-0 for her fifth Top-10 victory this year. Andreeva, 18, seemed hampered by a lower-back injury in the third set, but she gave all credit to her friend, who shared a hug at the net.

“Vicky played amazing, especially in the third set,’’ Andreeva said. “We had a lot of games where I had chances, but she played very aggressively. She went for her shot and hit a lot of winners.”

Muchova, 29, defeated Mboko, 6-4, 7-5 in the Doha final so they both have solid scouting reports to read before their Tuesday afternoon match on Stadium Court.

“She’s a really great player,” Mboko said. “She has a lot of variety in her game, and I just know it’s going to be very tough. It’s a new day, a new tournament.

“So, I kind of know what to expect. So, hopefully I can kind of just work with my game and just see what patterns I can do, or whatever I can do to try to gain more free points.”

Unseeded American Hailey Baptiste, a late-blooming 24-year-old from D.C. and Delray Beach, powered past her doubles partner and former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, 6-3, 6-4 to move into her second  WTA 1000 quarterfinal. On Sunday, Baptiste, No. 45, said she had never played against a world No. 1, but would welcome the opportunity.

Be careful what you wish for as her chance came quickly with Belarusian world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka rolling past Chinese star Qinwen Zheng 6-3, 6-4, and next playing Baptiste in a quarterfinal on Wednesday.

“In a way there’s no pressure, but I believe I can beat them,’’ said Baptiste, who reached her first WTA quarterfinal at Auckland last year and then made it to her first semifinal in Dubai last month where she lost to No. 11 Ekaterina Alexandrova. “There’s still a bit of pressure, but I’d love to get my chance to take on No. 1 and show them I’m not too far off.”

Both feature huge ground strokes, but Baptiste comes to the net far more than Sabalenka, who is 8-1 against Zheng and is into her 32^nd career WTA 1000 quarterfinal, trailing only Victoria  Azarenka (38) for most among active players.

“I’ve been watching [Baptiste’s] game in Miami and she’s an incredible tennis player,’’ Sabalenka said. “She serves well and has a great variety in her game.”

Jessica Pegula, the fifth seed, continues to roll through the draw with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Romanian Jacqueline Cristian, and has now dropped just 10 games in her three matches. She will face a more daunting foe in No.  2 Elena Rybakina in a quarterfinal on Wednesday, after the Kazakhstan ended the magical (Indian Wells and Miami) run by Aussie Talia Gibson 6-2, 6-2.

“I wish I was playing her in a later round,’’ Pegula said.

***

About the Miami Open presented by Itaú

The 2026 Miami Open presented by Itaú will be played March 15 – March 29 at Hard Rock Stadium. The 15-day event is owned and operated by MARI and Hard Rock Stadium. The Miami Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a WTA 1000 event on the WTA calendar, and annually hosts the world’s best players, with recent champions including the top players in each tour’s rankings – Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. In 2025, the tournament attracted more than 400,000 spectators over its 15 days at Hard Rock Stadium. Widely regarded as the most glamorous stop on the ATP and WTA calendars, the Miami Open is defined by the city’s vibrant culture, nightlife, five-star dining and hospitality, iconic beaches, and celebrity appeal, along with its close proximity to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

About Itaú Unibanco

The largest bank in Latin America, Itaú Unibanco operates in 18 countries and serves more than 70 million customers, including individuals and companies across a wide range of segments. With the purpose of strengthening financial well-being, the bank supports customers at different stages of life by offering solutions tailored to their needs, as well as innovation and information that encourage more conscious decision-making and a healthier relationship with money.

In sports, Itaú has maintained a consistent presence in tennis for 50 years, supporting the development of the sport in Brazil and worldwide across multiple fronts — from talent development to the sponsorship of major international events — as part of its strategy to strengthen customer relationships, build brand relevance, and broaden access to sport.

About MARI 

MARI is a global events and experiences company with a portfolio of some of the world’s most influential live properties across sport, art, lifestyle, and entertainment. From international tennis tournaments such as the Mutua Madrid Open and the Miami Open presented by Itaú to Frieze, a leading voice in contemporary art, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, TodayTix Group’s leadership in digital ticketing, and Barrett-Jackson’s leading collector car auctions, MARI’s portfolio reflects a shared ambition: to deliver live experiences that bring people together, inspire audiences and shape culture worldwide.

About Hard Rock Stadium

Hard Rock Stadium is a global entertainment destination and curator of world-class events. The best-in-class venue is home to the Miami Dolphins, University of Miami Hurricanes football team, the Capital One Orange Bowl, Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, Miami Open presented by Itaú, major concerts, the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and FIFA World Cup 2026™. Due to its overall sustainability efforts, the multifunctional venue holds Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification and FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation rating. For more information, visit hardrockstadium.com.