Anastasia Potapova staved off being swept in straight sets and recovered to notch a stunning 6-7 (8), 7-5, 6-2 victory over sixth-seeded Coco Gauff on Saturday in the third round of the Miami Open.
Potapova, seeded 27th, trailed 5-3 in the second set before winning four straight games to stay alive and 10 of the final 12. The Russian controlled the third set to record the third Top 10 win of her career.
Though Gauff, a native of South Florida, is used to the humidity of Miami, Potapova had to fight through the conditions.
“I’m really happy to be in the fourth round for the first time; it’s a dream that really came true,” the 21-year-old Potapova said afterward. “In those tough conditions, it’s not easy to play. … Coco is an unbelievable athlete and she has very good fitness. I’m really surprised that I could stay at the same level until the end.”
Potapova struggled with her serve, double-faulting seven times while landing just one ace. But she thrived on key points as she saved 10 of 13 break points and converted six of her own 12 opportunities.
Gauff had five aces and four double faults.
Potapova next faces China’s Zheng Qinwen after the No. 23 seed outlasted 12th-seeded Liudmila Samsonova of Russia 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-3.
Third-seeded Jessica Pegula advanced with a 6-1, 7-6 (0) victory over Danielle Collins. Pegula converted 28 of 36 first-serve points (77.8 percent) to improve to 4-0 all-time against Collins.
Collins had a 6-3 edge in aces but also committed twice as many unforced errors (26 to 13).
No. 20 seed Magda Linette of Poland defeated No. 14 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-4. Linette will face Pegula in the fourth round.
No 24 Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia registered a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win over Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia.
–Field Level Media
