American tennis star Cori Gauff thought moving around Kaia Kanepi would be the key and her tactic paid off as she saw off the Estonian 6-3 6-4 to progress into the French Open last-16.
Kanepi is no stranger to taking out seeds as in the first round she recovered from a set and a break down to stun two-time Grand Slam champion.
Kanepi was aiming to take out another seed but 18th-seeded Gauff handled her business in their third round meeting.
“I think that really today what came down to it was movement. I think that I needed to get her moving, because when she’s like on top of the ball she can really rip, and I think that’s what I did well today,” Gauff said, per the WTA website.
Gauff feels she could do really well at Roland Garros
Last year, Gauff reached her maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal at the French Open.
Gauff, who recently turned 18, says she is now in a better place mentally than she was last year around this time.
“I think that now I feel like mentally I’m in a better place than I was last year, coming into the second week I think sometimes that’s what makes Grand Slams harder is because it is two weeks and there is no other way to prepare for two weeks of playing,” Gauff said. “I think going into my next match, I played her before, and I think I’m a lot more relaxed than going into my fourth-round match last year. I think I’m a lot more prepared to play two weeks of tennis.”
Gauff plays Elise Mertens in the French Open last-16.
Before this season started, Gauff said her goal is to make a Grand Slam breaktrough in 2022.
Gauff is still a long way from winning the French Open but she is definitely having a promising run.