Sloane Stephens came back from 2-4 down in the third set to beat Dayana Yastremska 6-4 1-6 6-4 at the Omnium Banque Nationale.
Yastremska earned an early break in the third game. Stephens broke straight back in the fourth game to draw level to 2-2. Stephens broke in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead, but Yastremska pulled the break back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Stephens got her third break in the nnth game to win the first set 6-4.
Yastremska broke twice in the second and sixth games to win the second set 6-1. Yastremaska raced out to a 4-2 lead with two breaks in the decisive set. Stephens faced four points to trail 2-5, but she saved them. The US player won 15 of the last 19 points to claim the final three games with two breaks of serve to win the third set 6-4. Stephens set up a second round against Aryna Sabalenka.
Coco Gauff cruised past Anastasja Sevastova 6-1 6-4. Gauff had to withdraw from the Olympic Games after testing positive for Covid-19.
Gauff went up a double break in the second and fourth games to race out to a 4-0 lead. Sevastova saved two set points in the sixth game.
Sevastova earned an early break at love in the second game to take a 3-0 lead, but Gauff came back from winning six of the next seven games to claim the second set 6-4 with breaks in the fifth and ninth games.
“Sevastova obviously gave me problems in previous matches. Even today she is still a tough opponent. Today I just came out on top. She can mix up the game really well, which is what you don’t see often on the world tour”, said Gauff.
Gauff will take Anastasia Potapova in a re-match of the 2019 US Open first round match.
This year’s Olympic Games quarter finalist Camila Giorgi upset Elise Mertens 6-3 7-5. Giorgi faced three break points at 1-1 in the first set, before winning four games from 0-15 down to break serve in the second game. The Italian player held her serve on her fourth set point. Giorgi saved five break points in the sixth and eighth and broke serve in the ninth game, but Mertens broke straight back in the tenth game. Giorgi broke for the second time in the ninth game and won seven consecutive points to claim the second set 7-5.
