Sofia Kenin of the US makes a backhand return to compatriot Coco Gauff during their fourth round singles match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 26, 2020.
In what was the first meeting between two of the most promising youngsters, Kenin rallied to defeat Gauff 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-0 in the match that lasted for two hours and nine minutes to reach her first-ever Majors quarterfinal.
Crowd favourite Coco Gauff's giant-killing run at the Australian Open came to an end on Sunday as the American teen bowed out in the fourth round after a 6-7 (5) 6-3 6-0 defeat to compatriot Sofia Kenin.
"Anyone would get pretty emotional for the first time", said Kenin, who next faces another woman making her Slam quarterfinal debut, 78th-ranked Ons Jabeur of Tunisia.
The 15-year-old Gauff, who had beaten defending champion Naomi Osaka in her previous match and seven-times Grand Slam victor Venus Williams in her opener, rallied from a break down to win the opening set in a tiebreaker.
Despite seven double faults in the match, Gauff has to be pleased with her first Australian Open in which she blew out the defending champion. "Even my parents, my team, they all believe I can get better", Gauff said. "I think that would be it".
Gauff's performance in Melbourne has prompted social media fun asking "What were you doing at age 15?" and there was a big build-up around her fourth-round match ahead of a potential quarter-final. "Frankly, if we were honest with ourselves, I would lose that game", Williams said. "I did it for myself because I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it", Kenin said.
Jabeur was a 7-6 (4), 6-1 victor against 27th-seeded Wang Qiang, who surprised Serena Williams in the third round.
Gauff said: "The thing I'm most proud of is how I handled it on the court. I'm so happy that in the end I felt my game again".
Kvitova, who suffered severe injury to her left hand - her playing hand - in a knife attack at her home in 2016, had not dropped a set in reaching the last 16. Obviously second set was incredible for me. I tried to play my game. "I just tried not to let that get the better of me".
The most intriguing in men's action came all the way at the end of the night - at almost 1 o'clock actually, when Roger Federer took the final six points to the 47th ranked Australian John Millman 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6 -4, 4-6, 7-6 (8).
"Oh, God, it was tough", Federer said.
Meanwhile, seventh seed Petra Kvitova dashed Maria Sakkari's ambitiousness as she towered her way through to the last-eight with a 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 win over the Greek.
With that, Gauff became the youngest player to beat a top-five opponent in a women's tour-level match since Jennifer Capriati did it at 15 in 1991. "I think she's got a great tennis brain of problem solving, as well".
"Last time Kenin won against me so maybe it'll be my revenge", added Jabeur, who lost to Kenin a year ago in Hobart and retired against her in Mallorca.
