SAN DIEGO (AFP) —
Sixth-seeded Coco Gauff turned back an inspired effort from 294th-ranked Robin Montgomery, 6-3, 6-3 in the resumption of a match that was postponed due to rain a night earlier in the San Diego Open WTA 500.
Gauff, who earlier this year reached her first major singles final in the French Open, said she did her best to block out the rain delay that stretched the match out over two days and instead focus on the match against a fellow 18-year-old American.
Gauff said the match had more significance following Serena Williams’ retirement and the possibility that her sister, Venus, will retire as well.
“If Serena and Venus saw this today, two 18-year-olds, both African-Americans, playing at the WTA 500 level, I think they would be proud,” Gauff said. “Both of us are products of their legacy. I’m grateful that I had those examples to follow. I hope that maybe I can be an example myself.”
Gauff will face 2019 U.S. Open winner Bianca Andreescu of Canada in Round 2. It will be their first meeting.
Montgomery was unable to add another upset to her list that included beating No. 25 Shuai Zhang and No. 42 Bernarda Pera in the qualifying rounds.
Croat qualifier Donna Vekic beat former No. 1 Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the quarterfinals. It marked a second straight high-profile upset for Vekic, who upended fifth seed Maria Sakkari of Greece in the first round.