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231007 — BEIJING, Oct. 7, 2023 — Coco Gauff hits a return during the women s singles semifinal between Iga Swiatek of Poland and Coco Gauff of the United States at China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 7, 2023. SPCHINA-BEIJING-TENNIS-CHINA OPEN-WOMEN S SINGLES-SEMIFINAL CN LuoxYuan PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHN
via Imago
231007 — BEIJING, Oct. 7, 2023 — Coco Gauff hits a return during the women s singles semifinal between Iga Swiatek of Poland and Coco Gauff of the United States at China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 7, 2023. SPCHINA-BEIJING-TENNIS-CHINA OPEN-WOMEN S SINGLES-SEMIFINAL CN LuoxYuan PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxCHN
The Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships’ opening round matches featured some intense performances that amazed the tennis community. The tournament, which is part of the WTA 1000 category, is played on outdoor hard courts. Now that the round of 32 fixtures has been concluded, the stage is set for some high-profile third-round encounters in Dubai.
The reigning Grand Slam champion, Coco Gauff, will square off against the former world No. 1 Karolína Plíšková in a blockbuster round of 16 clash. With two WTA players of high caliber competing for a place in the quarterfinal, it will be interesting to see who comes out on top in this outdoor hard-court showdown.
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Coco Gauff vs. Karolína Plíšková: Dubai Tennis Championships Round of 16 match preview
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After a disappointing campaign at the Qatar Open, Coco Gauff looks all geared up to make amends at the WTA 1000 event in Dubai. Entering the tournament as the third seed, the American tennis prodigy breezed past her unseeded Italian opponent, Elisabetta Cocciaretto, in straight sets, 6-1, 7-5, to reach the round of 16 of the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Karolína Plíšková, on the other hand, is coming to the tournament after her semifinal finish at the Qatar Open. As an unseeded participant, the 31-year-old swept aside her Chinese opponent, Zhang Shuai, in the round of 64. In her next game, Plíšková pulled off a brilliant comeback after dropping the first set against Ashlyn Krueger, as she won with a score of 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.
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Gauff vs. Plíšková: Head-to-Head
The round-of-16 match between Gauff and Plíšková at the Dubai Tennis Championships will also mark their third meeting on the women’s tour, with their H2H currently locked at 1-1. In their previous encounter at the 2022 German Open, the American player overcame Plíšková in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4. But in their first meeting at the 2021 Mutua Madrid Open, it was the former world No. 1 player who emerged victorious against Gauff.
Prediction: Gauff to prevail in third round match of the Dubai Tennis Championships
The current world No. 3 Gauff is a Grand Slam winner and has performed brilliantly on hard courts in past tournaments. The American player’s stellar form on the surface and current ranking will make her the favorite to win this match and reach the quarterfinals.
Who do you think will prevail in this blockbuster hard court encounter between Gauff and Plíšková? Let us know in the comments section.
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