By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, March 14, 2023
Coco Gauff won the final four games rallying by Rebecca Peterson 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 to advance to the Indian Wells quarterfinals for the first time.
Photo credit: BNP Paribas Open Facebook
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Confronting a 2-4 deficit in the final set today, Gauff showed a love of lockdown.
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Defending brilliantly down the stretch, Gauff reeled off the final four games subduing Swedish qualifier Rebecca Peterson 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 to battle into her first career Indian Wells quarterfinal.
It was Gauff's 29th consecutive victory over an opponent ranked outside of the Top 50 and came with a big assist from Stadium 2 fans who cheered support during Gauff's comeback.
Electrifying defense and some sharp timely strikes helped Gauff complete her comeback. Ultimately, Gauff won this match on her churning legs and steely spine. Gauff saved 10 of 14 break points in a match where each woman won exactly 90 points.
The 2022 Roland Garros finalist fended off Peterson for the first time to set up a quarterfinal clash vs. either second-seeded Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka or 2021 Roland Garros singles and doubles champion Barbora Krejcikova.
The last time these two met at the 2019 ITF event in Midland provoked profound memories in the teenager.
"I got whooped," Gauff recalled.
The day after Gauff celebrated her 19th birthday Peterson came prepared to play party pooper.
Knowing Gauff's two-handed backhand is a fluid and forceful shot, Peterson, who can hammer her forehand, wisely went to work on the American's weaker forehand wing.
Bidding to become the first Swedish woman to reach the BNP Paribas Open quarterfinals since Catarina Lindqvist in 1989 and the first Swedish woman ever to advance to a WTA 1000 quarterfinal, Peterson pulled no punches drawing the first break.
Resetting, Gauff was driving through her two hander and serving with more vigor.
The Auckland champion won five of the next six games serving out the 40-minute opening set at 15.
Though Gauff seemed to be in control, Peterson, who had won 26 of her last 32 matches, completely flipped the script persistently pounding Gauff's forehand wing.
The Stockholm-born baseliner was banging her forehand deep in the court rushing Gauff, who has a more elaborate circular backswing on her forehand wing, into errors. When Peterson wasn't rattling out errors she was forcing mid-court spinny replies that sat up for the Swede to swoop in and pound. Peterson powered to a 5-0 second-set lead before closing it, 6-1, to force a decider.
Dominating baseline exchanges, Peterson, who took a 6-1 second set off Serena Williams at the 2019 Miami Open before losing, was in command for a set and a half.
The world No. 103 converted her third break point on a netted error to break in the third game. Peterson backed up the break for a 3-1 third-set lead.
Hitting her forehand significantly harder than Gauff for stretches, Peterson put together a crackling series of forehands that showcased Gauff's eye-popping defense as she ran down everything and spit it back.
A patient Peterson waited then pounced pounding one final forehand to hold for 4-2.
A beauty of Gauff's game is her love of a good battle and a willingness to chase everything down with the complete commitment of a lifeguard rescuing a troubled swimmer back home in Delray Beach.
Though her forehand looked shaky and sometimes downright ugly at times, Gauff showed grit and hustle breaking back to even after eight games.
Deadlocked at 4-all, Gauff fought off three break points then carved out a forehand drop volley winner and drew an error to complete a tough hold for 5-4.
Phenomenal court coverage and elasticity on the stretch helped Gauff pressure Peterson into errors in the 10th game. Peterson flew her forehand deep to face match point and Gauff closed a resilient comeback in two hours, 47 minutes.
Prior to celebrating her 19th birthday yesterday, Gauff told the media in Indian Wells she's living her dream on court while leading a pretty mundane existence off court at times.
"For sure living my dream. I guess the on-court part is glamorous in a way, yes," Gauff told the media. "Off-court, I always tell people my life is boring... I literally just don't leave my room sometimes.
"I enjoy this kind of balance of being extroverted in certain situations and introverted in certain situations."
On a day in which her best tennis eluded her, Gauff treaded the tightrope with balance and belief, which should serve her well in the quarterfinals.