Gauff Survives Scare to Advance at Indian Wells, Sets Up Sakkari Showdown

Coco Gauff secured a hard-fought 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(7) victory over Moyuka Uchijima at Indian Wells, ending a three-match losing streak and setting up a third-round clash with Maria Sakkari.

Coco Gauff, the world number three, returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(7) victory over Japan's Moyuka Uchijima at Indian Wells. This triumph marked Gauff's first match win since the Australian Open.

Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, struggled with her serve, committing 21 double faults amidst a slew of unforced errors. Her frustration was palpable throughout the match, but she was relieved to have secured a win after a string of disappointing results.

After dropping her opening matches in WTA tournaments in Qatar and Dubai following her Australian Open quarter-final exit, Gauff was eager to get back on track. “It's been a rough couple of weeks, and I'm just happy to get a win on the court,” Gauff said. “No one likes to lose, and I came in here with determination. It wasn't my best tennis, but a win is a win.”

As one of the top seeds in the combined ATP Masters and WTA 1000 event, Coco Gauff received a first-round bye. In contrast, her opponent Moyuka Uchijima, ranked 52nd, had to navigate a first-round match against Britain's Emma Raducanu, which she won in straight sets.

not my best performance but a win is a win🤝🏾🫡 also happy international women’s day to all my boss ladies out there🩷 pic.twitter.com/0QwVeK31EQ

— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) March 9, 2025

Gauff seemed to be cruising towards victory when she took a commanding 4-0 lead in the third set. Uchijima had received medical treatment from a trainer before the set, and it appeared that Gauff would capitalize on her opponent's struggles. However, Gauff twice failed to serve out the match, allowing Uchijima to mount a comeback. Ultimately, Gauff prevailed in the tiebreaker, securing the win on her fifth match point.

Gauff's third-round opponent will be Greece's Maria Sakkari, who also ended a three-match losing streak with a convincing 6-0, 6-3 victory over Bulgaria's Viktoriya Tomova. Notably, Sakkari defeated Gauff in the semi-finals of this event last year, en route to her second Indian Wells final in three years.