Coco Gauff fought through illness to beat Sorana Cirstea 4–6, 7–5, 6–1 at the Madrid Open and reach the last 16.
Gauff was affected by a stomach virus that has hit several players at the tournament. During the match, she was visibly unwell and even had to stop play. She also took a medical timeout before managing to finish the match after over two hours.
Several players have struggled with illness in Madrid, including Iga Swiatek, who had to retire from her match, and Marin Cilic, who withdrew before his game. Liudmila Samsonova also pulled out due to illness.
After the match, Gauff said she was just trying to get through each point and wasn’t sure how she managed to win. She believes she caught the same illness affecting other players but hopes to recover quickly for her next match.
She added that she didn’t want to withdraw, having already pulled out of a previous tournament, and was pleased to finish the match. Medication helped her feel a bit better, although she still felt tired and sick.
Gauff will now face Linda Noskova in the next round.
