Coco Gauff was sensational against Maria Sakkari at the Miami Open on Thursday. She recently conquered Sofia Kenin in straight sets, and she didn’t let her opponent win even one game. The match ended in a shocking double bagel, 6-0, 6-0 scoreline. This hard-fought victory was enough to send Gauff into the third round of the tourney. It was her second straight victory over the 2020 Australian Open champion.
At just 21 years old, Gauff’s maturity is a key part of her game. Reflecting on her performance, she stated, “I was definitely playing well today, and maybe she wasn’t playing her peak great tennis.” This victory is all the more impactful for Gauff, who’s struggled to find her best stuff in recent matches. She started the year 2025 with a stunning nine straight wins. It’s a different story as of late with Collins, who has only won 3 of her last 7 matches.
Gauff’s path through the Miami Open is not without its challenges. Although she’s still young and immensely talented, she’s never progressed beyond the fourth round of this fabled, prestigious tournament. Still, she’s keeping her eyes on the prize as she looks to keep this momentum going against the ever-tough Maria Sakkari in the next round. Having beaten Sakkari in straight sets at Indian Wells earlier this month, Gauff will surely be looking to do the same again.
In addition to her on-court achievements, Gauff has learned to adopt a “short-term memory when it comes to wins and losses,” a skill that has undoubtedly aided her growth as a player. Carried on by the pro-Coco crowd in Miami, expect her to try and keep her momentum going against Sakkari.
As Gauff prepares for her exciting matchup against Semifinalist Aryna Sabalenka, she understands that maintaining that level will be vital if she hopes to seize her championship moment. Her third-round showdown against Sakkari will be a match of great character and flexibility, something she’ll need to dig deep for after a commanding outing versus Kenin.
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