Coco Gauff beats Svitolina to defend Auckland title

BBC Online :
American teenager Coco Gauff successfully defended her Auckland Classic title by battling back from a set down to defeat Elina Svitolina.
The US Open champion triumphed 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-3 to record her seventh win in eight career WTA singles finals so far.
Nineteen-year-old Gauff has now won 29 of her past 33 singles matches.
Gauff has never made it beyond the fourth round at the Australian Open but her form approaching this year’s opening major suggests she is ready to improve that record in 2024.
The teenager fulfilled the Grand Slam-winning potential she had shown since bursting on to the scene as a 15-year-old at Wimbledon in 2019 by clinching her maiden success at her home major in September.
A meeting with second seed Svitolina proved a much sterner test for Gauff – although it was one she would come through with admirable composure.
The Ukrainian, ranked 25th in the world just nine months after returning from maternity leave, clinched the tie-break at the end of an opening set in which Gauff squandered two set points when leading 5-4.
That was the first set Gauff had lost in two editions of the tournament – and it would be the last.
The American broke Svitolina’s serve three times in an impressive second-set response, before a single break in the eighth game of the decider allowed her to serve out for the title.
“This was my first time ever having to defend a title so I’m really happy I was able to do that today,” Gauff said.
“I’d like to congratulate Elina and your team on an incredible week. What you do, being a mum, coming back so fast and at such a high level, is inspiring.”
Joking, she added: “Hopefully – not any time soon – I’ll be able to do it like you did.”