Tennis-Gauff survives three-set thriller, to face Osaka in Melbourne

American teenage sensation Coco Gauff on Wednesday prevailed over Sorana Cirstea in a thrilling 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 encounter at the Australian Open, to set up a meeting with defending champion Naomi Osaka. The 15-year-old Gauff, who beat seven-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams in the first round, was broken midway through the opening set as she struggled with errors off her forehand and a composed performance from her more experienced Romanian opponent.

Cirstea’s levels, however, dipped at the start of the second set, allowing Gauff to capture an early break and force the match into a decider. The final set was a gripping, evenly-matched affair as Gauff fought back from a break down to advance to the third round in two hours and seven minutes.

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