New Delhi, Feb. 17 -- Coco Gauff, World No. 4, delivered a strong response on the hard courts of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, defeating Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-4 in the second round. The win flips the script on their 2024 quarterfinal clash at the same event, where Kalinskaya pulled off an upset comeback. This time, Gauff showed grit and composure to claim revenge and move into the round of 16.

Facing the player who ended her run here two years ago, Gauff started cautiously but quickly found her rhythm. She trailed by a break in both sets yet fought back impressively, breaking Kalinskaya's serve at crucial stages. Despite 12 double faults and some shaky moments, the American converted key opportunities and wrapped up the matc...