Gauff defeats Bronzetti, to play Mertens at the round of 16

Coco Gauff progressed into the round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open on Monday following a win over Lucia Bronzetti.

The 19-year-old American and US Open champion, who will turn 20 in two days, saved each and every one of her break points and went on to a 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory over Lucia Bronzetti.

The No. 3-seeded Gauff will face No. 24-seeded Elise Mertens for a berth in the quarterfinals. That match will be played on Wednesday, which is Gauff’s 20th birthday.

Mertens defeated former four-time Glam Slam champion Naomi Osaka in a two-straight set of of 7-5 and 6-4 to play against American Gauff.

“I don’t know,” Gauff said in her on-court interview. “I’m just happy to be alive. I’m really happy to see 20.”

And then she laughed and revised that statement.

“I don’t want to jinx it,” she said, “Hopefully I’ll see 20,” Coco Gauff responded when asked what present she wanted for her birthday.

Since the WTA 1000 format was introduced in 2009, no teenager has posted as many trips to the Round of 16 as Gauff (16), or won as many matches (51).

Gauff will play doubles with Jessica Pegula for a spot in the quarterfinals.

Elsewhere, No. 2 seed and last year’s finalists Aryna Sabalenka clinched her spot in the BNP Paribas Open Round of 16 with a hard-fought 6-3, 7-5 win over fellow Grand Slam champion Emma Raducanu at the WTA 1000 event on Monday.

Sabalenka will now face the winner of Monday’s nightcap between No. 16 seed Elina Svitolina and No. 23 seed Emma Navarro. Sabalenka has a 2-1 head-to-head lead over Svitolina; she has never faced rising American Navarro.