logo
Coco Gauff double bagels Sofia Kenin in Miami Open in just 47 minutes, ‘Baby Rybakina' records best win of career so far

Coco Gauff double bagels Sofia Kenin in Miami Open in just 47 minutes, ‘Baby Rybakina' records best win of career so far

CNN21-03-2025

Coco Gauff had what she called a 'great day' on Thursday as she beat her fellow American Sofia Kenin without dropping a game at the Miami Open.
World No. 3 Gauff romped past Kenin with a 6-0, 6-0 scoreline – colloquially known as a double bagel – to reach the third round of the tournament.
It was a dramatic return to form for Gauff who, after beginning 2025 with nine wins in a row, has gone 3-4 in her last seven matches as she struggles to find consistency.
After emphatically dispatching Kenin – Gauff has now won her last two matches against the 2020 Australian Open champion – the 21-year-old spoke about how she's had to learn to have a 'short-term memory when it comes to wins and losses.'
'I was definitely playing well today, and maybe she wasn't playing her peak great tennis,' the Florida-native said after her second-round victory at the Miami Open. 'I don't think anyone who is playing their best tennis will have that scoreline today, so I'm not going to sit here and say she played her best tennis.
'I think it was a combination of me playing really well, it was really great tennis from me, and maybe her not playing as well.'
Gauff has never made it past the fourth round at the Miami Open and will face world No.51 Maria Sakkari in the third round. It will be the second time in as many tournaments that Gauff as faced the Greek, having beaten her in straight sets at Indian Wells.
Elsewhere on Thursday at the Miami Open, there were emphatic wins for Aryna Sabalenka, Naomi Osaka and defending champion Danielle Collins who all safely booked their spots in the next round.
However, Thursday also saw the shock of the tournament so far as world No. 40 Ashlyn Krueger upset seventh seed Elena Rybakina 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Krueger had to withstand a remarkable 22-point winning run from Rybakina on her serve in the first set but grew into the match to record the biggest win of her career so far.
It was the first victory over a top-10 ranked player for Krueger, who has been given the nickname 'Baby Rybakina' by fans due to her similarities to the Kazakhstani player; they are both tall and are renowned for big hits and powerful serves.
When that nickname was put to Krueger after the match, the American laughed and said she was unaware of it but admitted she saw the similarities in the pair's games.
'Big serves, big returns,' the 20-year-old said. 'I knew there weren't going to be a ton of long points. So a lot of serves, first balls – who was going to get on top of the point quicker.'
Krueger will now face Leylah Fernandez in the third round of the Miami Open.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Napoli in advanced talks to sign Milan's Yunus Musah
Napoli in advanced talks to sign Milan's Yunus Musah

Yahoo

time18 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Napoli in advanced talks to sign Milan's Yunus Musah

Serie A champions Napoli are nearing a move to sign American midfielder Yunus Musah from rivals Milan. Earlier today, it emerged that the Partenopei are working on a move for the USA man and Daniele Longo has reported about the situation. Advertisement Napoli had started contacts with the player's entourage earlier today and they quickly managed to reach an agreement over personal terms as well. Moreover, an agreement with Milan is also edging closer. Talks are at an advanced stage, with Giovanni Manna keen on pleasing Antonio Conte by signing Musah quickly in the summer. West Ham have tried to insert themselves into the situation but the deal will cost a total fee of €25 million for Napoli and that will include bonuses that fixed and varied. The deal is making quick progress and the expectation is that it should close soon, with Milan not against Musah's sale to Napoli at all. Kaustubh Pandey I GIFN

Oilers' penalty woes and composure issues lead to blowout loss and put them in precarious spot
Oilers' penalty woes and composure issues lead to blowout loss and put them in precarious spot

Washington Post

time19 minutes ago

  • Washington Post

Oilers' penalty woes and composure issues lead to blowout loss and put them in precarious spot

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Falling behind early, parading to the penalty box and losing their composure, the Edmonton Oilers find themselves in an all-too-familiar position trailing the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final . Not much went right for them in Game 3 on Monday night, a 6-1 blowout loss that put them down 2-1 in the series after taking the opener at home. By Tuesday, they were back on the ice for practice, eager to put their worst performance since early in the playoffs behind them.

NHL's state income tax debate heats up with the Florida Panthers back in the Stanley Cup Final
NHL's state income tax debate heats up with the Florida Panthers back in the Stanley Cup Final

San Francisco Chronicle​

time20 minutes ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

NHL's state income tax debate heats up with the Florida Panthers back in the Stanley Cup Final

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The Florida Panthers are two wins away from becoming the fifth Stanley Cup champion in the past six years from a U.S. state with no income tax. The run has made taxes something of a hot topic around the league. Many contenders going deep in the playoffs come from Sun Belt locales, but the financial benefit is one advantage of many for them in attracting and retaining players. Or is it? "The tax thing is marginal at best, and I think the real reasons are that we're trying to do figure out a way to do our best to try to win," Florida general manager Bill Zito said, adding that team ownership and coach Paul Maurice are also key assets. 'The sun doesn't kill us. It's a nice environment to live in. It's a good place for families. It's a good place for singles. It's got a little something for everybody,' Commissioner Gary Bettman said before the final he 'hates the issue," and that was evident Monday night on TNT when retired player-turned-analyst Paul Bissonnette suggested tax problems should be addressed in the next collective bargaining agreement. Bettman called it ridiculous and rhetorically asked if the league should subsidize teams in places like New York and Los Angeles. The NHL tax landscape The Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators and Seattle Kraken are the six NHL teams out of 32 in a place with no state income tax. Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said some other franchises have raised it as a concern but added the league does not share that thinking. 'These imbalances have existed forever,' Daly said. 'There are so many reasons why a player may choose to play in a particular location for a particular team for a particular coach that have nothing to do with the tax situation in that market.' The union seems to agreed that nothing needs to be negotiated in the next CBA to mitigate varying tax levels. NHLPA assistant executive director Ron Hainsey, who played for seven teams over 17 seasons from 2003-20, cited a run of Cup winners in places like Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh over a decade-plus span as a hole in the argument. 'I'm kind of baffled at times that this is the topic it is,' Hainsey said. 'To react this way out there because Florida and Tampa are having their moment here where they have the players, good teams, took less to stay — it's the same thing that's happened the previous 12 years with all these other things. So, when we talk about, is it really an issue, I'm not certain that it is." Hainsey also pointed out that this is not a top issue in the NFL and NBA. Of course, hockey still has a ways to go to catch up with football and basketball player salaries, even with the NHL cap rising over the next few years because of revenues setting records. Alan Pogroszewski, who has studied and worked with players on tax matters for more than a decade, said a flexible salary cap would account for the range of tax situations. His AFP Consulting found that since 2016, teams in places with no state income tax qualified for the playoffs at a higher rate, providing what he called 'an innate-built-in tax advantage for several of these cities.' 'It's a combination of many things,' Pogroszewski said Tuesday. 'There's more factors than just the amount of money that's spent. It's how it's spent. But when you come into an equal playing field and your dollar's worth more, then that allows you some leeway.' What do players think? Brad Marchand, a Canadian who played in Boston for a decade and a half before getting traded to Florida in March, does not dismiss taxes as a factor in choosing where to play. "The Canadian teams, most of them have an extremely high tax rate, and then the California teams, same thing: Those teams are going to have to pay more money to get certain players than others,' Marchand said. "When you look at a team like Montreal, what are they 52, 54%? Versus a team like here or Dallas or whatever. That's a 15% difference. When you add that up, it's a tremendous amount of money.' Of course, money isn't the only motivating factor. Success for Florida, Tampa Bay, Vegas and Dallas directly coincides with Zito, Julien BriseBois, Kelly McCrimmon and Jim Nill being some of the best executives around and knowing how to evaluate talent and manage the cap. Being able to golf in the winter does not hurt either, and some players prefer smaller markets with less pressure. Others are drawn to hockey-crazy places where fans care deeply and hockey is either the top dog or the only game in town. The Edmonton Oilers, in the final for a second consecutive year, are the perfect example of that. 'The passion obviously that this fanbase has for their team is incredible,' said Oilers forward Evander Kane, who has also played in Atlanta, Winnipeg, Buffalo and San Jose. 'Once you actually get here and get to know your way around the city a little bit more, you realize there's actually quite a bit to do and it is a good spot for families and they have great summers.' NHL players get paid in U.S. dollars, even in Canada, taking some of the tax bite out of places like Montreal and Toronto with high tax rates because of the exchange rate. But that can also get cut into based on where guys choose to live. 'It helps while you're there, but also the living costs in Canada are extremely high, too, because you're taxed through the roof on everything: what you buy, what you sell, what you make,' Marchand said. 'So, yes, at the time, the costs are a little bit different but not much, and then when you move back, you have 20, 30% less money, so it absolutely plays a part.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store