Miami: Coco Gauff faced a disappointing exit from the Miami Open as she was defeated by unseeded Magda Linette with a score of 6-4, 6-4. Gauff, who was seeded third in the tournament, struggled with her serve throughout the match, committing 12 double faults and landing only half of her first serves in play.

The defeat marked a challenging day for American players, as defending champion Danielle Collins, along with Amanda Anisimova and Ashlyn Krueger, also exited the tournament in straight sets.

Despite Gauff taking a lead of 4-3 in the second set, Linette maintained her composure and eventually secured the victory. This win marks Linette’s first triumph over a top-three player since 2021.

Linette will face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini next, who advanced after defeating Naomi Osaka 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Meanwhile, top seed Aryna Sabalenka showcased a dominant performance, hitting 23 winners, including seven aces, to overpower Danielle Collins 6-4, 6-4. With this victory, Sabalenka advanced to the quarter-finals, where she will meet Qinwen Zheng.

Zheng, who defeated Krueger 6-2, 7-6 in their round of 16 match, will face a formidable challenge against Sabalenka. The world number one, Sabalenka, remains unbeaten against Zheng in their five previous encounters, making her the favorite to advance further in the tournament.