Coco Gauff Advances to Cincinnati Third Round with Dominant Comeback Against Samsonova Coco Gauff, the No. 4 seed at the Cincinnati Open, overcame a first-set deficit to defeat Liudmila Samsonova 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 and secure her place in the third round. The 2023 Wimbledon champion, who had previously faced Samsonova in Toronto, acknowledged the challenge of the matchup but credited her resilience and the rain delay for helping her turn the tide. Gauff will next face No. 28 seed Ann Li in the round of 16, following Li’s 7-5, 6-3 victory over Zhang Shuai earlier Sunday. The match began with Samsonova taking control, winning the first set 6-2. However, Gauff’s determination shifted the momentum. In the second set, she earned a crucial break in the 10th game, forcing a deciding third set. Gauff dominated the final set, winning the last five games to complete the comeback in 2 hours and 6 minutes. “I knew when I saw the draw and I had to play her, especially after her run in Toronto, I was like, this is a tough match,” Gauff said after the win. She admitted her first-set performance was subpar but noted her level improved as the match progressed. “The rain delay did help, so I’m definitely grateful for that.” Gauff’s victory extended her perfect record against Samsonova to 5-0 on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz. Three of those wins have come in three sets, with Samsonova winning the first set each time before Gauff rallied to victory. This latest win marked her 10th comeback victory of the season, tying her with compatriot Jessica Pegula for the most such wins on tour in 2026. It also solidified her position as the player with the most three-set wins on the WTA Tour this year, achieving 15 such victories.#ann_li #coco_gauff #wta_tour_driven_by_mercedes_benz #cincinnati_open #liudmila_samsonova
