ROME — Coco Gauff survived a scare against Iva Jovic coming back from a match point to win 5-7, 7-5, 6-2 and reach the women’s quarter-finals in Rome.
American star Gauff, who is reigning French Open champion and reached the final in Rome last year, won a draining match which took the best part of three hours.
The 22-year-old has struggled on clay this season, with a last-16 exit in the Madrid Open coming after a disappointing run to the quarterfinals in Stuttgart.
Gauff was so annoyed with herself shortly after saving a match point against the serve at 5-4 down in the second set that she smacked herself in the head.
But she recovered to eventually see off her fellow American and set up a clash with Mirra Andreeva in the last eight.
