Naomi Osaka throws her racquet [Source: ESPN]
American teenager Coco Gauff recovered from a set down to set up a meeting with defending champion Naomi Osaka in the Australian Open last 32.
World number one Ashleigh Barty also progressed to third round on Wednesday.
Japanese third seed Osaka put an angry outburst behind her to beat Saisai Zheng 6-2 6-4 before 15-year-old Gauff saw off Romania’s Sorana Cirstea.
The world number 67 was 3-0 down in the deciding set but fought back to win 4-6 6-3 7-5 in two hours and six minutes.
“It’s amazing,” said Gauff. “Honestly, I didn’t think I would get so much support in Australia. I was down 3-0 and you really made me believe.”
Osaka, 22, went through in straight sets but threw her racquet on the floor and kicked it after China’s Zheng broke her serve in the second.
“I just wanted to fight,” said Osaka, who won in one hour and 20 minutes.
Caroline Wozniacki recovered from going 5-1 down in the opening set to win 7-5 7-5 and put off her impending retirement for at least another match.
The 2018 champion won six games in a row to clinch the opening set and also went 3-0 down in the second before mounting a comeback against Ukrainian 23rd seed Dayana Yastremska.
