Coco Gauff Battles Illness to Advance in Madrid
Coco Gauff is preparing to defend her French Open title after overcoming a stomach virus to reach the last 16 of the Madrid Open. The American third seed came from a set and a break down to defeat Sorana Cirstea 4-6 7-5 6-1 despite struggling with sickness during the match.
Gauff was visibly affected by the illness, even vomiting into a bin midway through the second set. She requested a medical timeout during the second set against the Romanian 25th seed. When asked how she managed to get through the match, Gauff said:
"I don't know honestly."
She added:
"I think I got what everybody else is having here in Madrid, unfortunately. So, I'm just going to try to push through for tomorrow.
"I did start to feel better, not feeling like I had to throw up. They gave me some pills, so that definitely helped.
"But I was really tired... the first part was literally just trying to keep whatever I ate down. Once they gave me something to help with that, then I was just nauseous and tired. But I can deal with that."
Several players have been affected by illness during the Madrid tournament. Six-time Grand Slam winner Iga Swiatek retired from her match against Ann Li on Saturday, citing "zero stability and zero energy." Marin Cilic withdrew before his second-round match against Joao Fonseca on Friday, and Liudmila Samsonova also withdrew before her third-round match with Linda Noskova due to illness.
Gauff's victory over Cirstea marks her third consecutive year reaching the fourth round in Madrid. Last year, she was defeated in the final by world number one Aryna Sabalenka but later avenged that loss by winning the French Open final at Roland Garros.
Gauff will face Czech 13th seed Linda Noskova in the last 16 as she continues her clay-court preparation ahead of the French Open, where she is the reigning champion.
Cameron Norrie Advances to Face World Number One
Meanwhile, Britain's Cameron Norrie secured a 7-5 7-6 (7-5) victory over Argentina's Thiago Agustin Tirante to reach the fourth round of the Madrid Open. This will be Norrie's first time advancing beyond the third round in his five appearances at the tournament.
Norrie is set to face world number one Jannik Sinner, who defeated Denmark's Elmer Moller 6-2 6-3. This will be their first meeting on court.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Norrie said:
"I'm excited to play him [Sinner] but every time we practice he rips me up."
"He's probably the most confident player in tennis right now but I just need to play my game. He'll be tough to play against but I'm excited for it."
Italy's Sinner is currently on a 19-match winning streak after claiming titles at Indian Wells, the Miami Open, and the Monte Carlo Masters.
Other Tournament Updates
In the women's tournament, fifth seed Jessica Pegula was defeated 6-1 6-4 by Ukrainian world number 23 Marta Kostyuk.
Live scores, results, and order of play are available for fans following the tournament. Tennis news updates can be sent directly to your phone for convenience.
