Gauff doubles up in Parma
Meanwhile, American teenager Coco Gauff continued her red-hot run on the clay courts of Italy as she backed up her first WTA 1000-level semi-final in Rome with a second career trophy in Parma on Saturday.
The 17-year-old easily accounted for China’s Wang Qiang 6-1, 6-3 to add to the title she landed in 2019 as a lucky loser in Linz. Not content to raise one white urn as champion, she added the doubles trophy later on Saturday with good friend Caty McNally.
“It definitely means a lot, especially on clay, which is not really a surface I feel like people associate with me,” Gauff said.
“I always liked [clay], but I always fall on it, I always get dirty. I have good results on it, so it’s not about my performance, it’s just that clay shows you a little extra love than the other surfaces do.”
Having prevailed in 20 of her past 26 matches, Gauff – who had already assured herself a seeding at a Grand Slam for the first time – is projected to rise to No.25 in the new rankings on Monday.