Coco Gauff won the all-American showdown against teenager Iva Jovic to reach the US Open quarter-finals.
The 22-year-old, who is bidding for a second Flushing Meadows title, overpowered Jovic 6-1, 6-4 on a balmy Labour Day bank holiday night in New York.
A jittery start from the 2023 winner gifted 18-year-old Jovic a break in the first game with a double fault.
But Jovic’s nerves were also on show as Gauff raced away with the next six games to take the first set.
Jovic finally held serve at the start of the second but three spectacular Gauff hustles, turning desperate defence into all-out attack, secured a break for 3-2.
The youngster managed to hit straight back, but was then broken to love as Gauff took control before serving out to win in an hour and 33 minutes.
Gauff, who is yet to drop a set so far, made sure to reassure Jovic that her time will come: “Iva’s an incredible player, an incredible talent, she plays beyond her years. I’m used to being the younger American!
“I thought today was a good match for me. The first set was really high-level and she raised her level in the second.
“I had some opportunities to maybe get up some early breaks. We’re all just happy with how I was able to close the last game out.
“I think I just remember when I was that age, every loss was so low, and every win was so high. I think there’s lessons to be learned in the losses.
“She seems a little bit more mature than maybe I was at 18, but I feel like sometimes the losses for me felt so low.
“So I think it’s just important getting her to know that she’s playing good-level tennis, and I think today it just went my way.
“I am someone who played well young too, so it doesn’t always matter. Sometimes it does matter, and you just learn those lessons and I know that she will be in many more fourth rounds and quarters, and she’ll capitalise on those moments the next time.”
Andreeva up next as quarter-final line-up complete
The impressive victory set up a last-eight meeting with French Open champion Mirra Andreeva, whom Gauff has beaten in all five of their career meetings.
With Gauff’s win, the woman’s quarter final line-up is set as Aryna Sabalenka plays Linda Noskova and Jessica Pegula takes on Emma Navarro.
Gauff then faces Andreeva, with Qinwen Zheng against Elena Rybakina for a place in the final four at Flushing Meadows.
“It is another tough match,” Gauff added. “Mirra is someone that I always have tough matches with and they have leaned my way but every match could have almost gone either way.
“She is obviously in a different mindset now at the top of the game coming off of a Grand Slam win. I expect her to approach the match completely differently than she did in the past.”
The US Open is live on Sky Sports from August 30. Stream tennis with no contract on NOW and the Sky Sports App. You can also watch the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from 25-27 September live on Sky Sports.
