By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Katerina Siniakova surged through six straight games stunning second-seeded Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Qatar Open round of 16.
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
Stepping on court for her Doha return, Coco Gauff was well-armed as the WTA Tour’s top returner this season.
Storming back from a love-4 deficit, Katerina Siniakova turned Gauff’s comeback into her own restoration day.
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A stubborn Siniakova surged through six straight games stunning the second-seeded Gauff 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Qatar Open round of 16.
Though Gauff had won five of their prior six meetings, Siniakova disarmed the American breaking down her forehand wing in that six game sprint to turn the match around.
It is Siniakova’s fifth career Top 5 win and biggest victory since she upset world No. 1 Naomi Osaka 6-2, 6-4 in the 2019 Roland Garros third round.
“I’m very proud. I don’t have any words,” Siniakova said afterward. “I’m really happy and I’m just so excited that I can stay longer here.
“I feel confident. I think I am playing well so I’m just really happy I can keep it up. Hopefully, I can show some more good tennis.”
US Open champion Gauff carried a 10-1 record on the season into her first match since she lost to Aryna Sabalenka in last month’s Australian Open semifinals.
Trying to shake off the rust, Gauff struggled at times to tame her topspin forehand and serve, winning just seven of 23 second-serve points. Gauff, who leads the WTA in return games won at 55 percent, was under threat on serve from the first game.
Gauff, who has posted a 28-4 record since the start of the 2023 Cincinnati, seemed to snatch back momentum seizing a 4-0 second-set lead today. Siniakova had other ideas, Deploying the drop shot shrewdly, battering Gauff’s forehand on pivotal points and sitting on the Auckland champion’s wide serve on the second serve, Siniakova had all the answers.
World No. 42 Siniakova will face another hard-hitting American, Danielle Collins, next.
Collins saved nine of 12 break points defeating Czech Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 7-5.
The 2022 Australian Open finalist Collins, who toppled former world No. 1 Naomi Osaka in Abu Dhabi last week, lost her lone prior meeting to Siniakova in a three-set battle at the 2019 Toronto tournament.
“Another tough match, she's a real aggressive player,” Siniakova said. “As i said I’m just happy I’m through and i can play another match. I will just try my best.”
Playing her first match since Oz, Gauff showed rust struggling to find her service rhythm. She served just 45 percent in the first set.
The second seed sent a double fault deep to face two break points in the opening game. Gauff saved both, but on the third break point, Siniakova launched herself off the court in a leaping two-handed strike breaking to open.
Eye-popping speed is a Gauff asset. Siniakova stayed in step in a crackling running rally then pulled the string on a drop shot that skimmed the tape. That shot helped Siniakova hold for 3-1.
Twenty-two minutes into the match both women were shedding sweat as rallies intensified. Gauff fended off three break points, but Siniakova made a superb running get that landed on the opposite baseline and Gauff misfired on the high-bouncing ball to face a fourth break point. Trying to squeeze her two-hander into a tight spot down the line, Gauff missed wide, ceding the break and a 4-1 lead.
The pair traded breaks in the sixth and seventh games. Gauff sailed a forehand sitter then netted her two-hander as Siniakova strode to her court-side seat up 5-2.
A confident Siniakova made clever use of the drop shot serving out the 37-minute opener at love. The Czech converted three of 10 break points and never trailed in the set.
The second-seeded Gauff committed 14 forehand unforced errors—doubling Siniakova in that department.
Resetting, Gauff split both lines with a forehand winner down the line capping a strong hold to start the second set.
Exuding more energy, Gauff buzzed through 12 of the first 14 points charging out to a 3-0 second-set lead.
The sound of Gauff’s New Balance shoes bounding across the court amplified her effort. Running right, Gauff spun a forehand winner down the line scoring her second straight break for 4-0.
The world No. 42 hammered a heavy forehand to break back in the fifth game, halting a four-game slide. Siniakova dodged break points to confirm the break.
All of the good work Gauff did building that 4-0 lead dissipated in a haze of mounting misfires. Gauff botched a smash into net and sailed a couple of forehands in a sloppy game to gift back the break in the seventh game.
In a frenetic all-court point, Siniakova showed superb defense winning a rousing rally that helped her seal her fourth consecutive game evening it after eight games.
A surging Siniakova target the Gauff forehand and was rewarded. Siniakova drained floating forehand errors breaking for her fifth game in a row and a 5-4 lead.
Serving for the match at 30-all, Siniakova stepped up and banged a backhand winner down the line behind the speedy Gauff for match point.
In a 14-shot rally, Siniakova battered away at the Gauff forehand eventually drawing a forehand into the bottom of the net to end her biggest singles win in nearly five years in 91 minutes.
Nineteen-year-old Czech Linda Noskova continued her strong start to the season. Noskova knocked off seventh-seeded Maria Sakkari 3-6, 7-6(2), 7-5.
The win comes a month after Noskova shocked world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the Australian Open third round.