Gauff defeats Liu to set up birthday clash with Halep

Coco Gauff held off fellow American Claire Liu 6-1, 7-6(4) in their Friday night clash in Indian Wells to set up a clash with Simona Halep tomorrow – her 18th birthday.

No.16 seed Gauff was too hot for No. 87 ranked liu as she edged her opponent in service breaks and wrapped up the first set in 31 minutes.

The second set proved to be a tougher encounter as the pair went toe-to-toe.

They traded breaks twice late on as Gauff was unable to convert a match point on her serve at 6-5.

Liu converted her fifth break point of that game to line up a tiebreak, and then led 3-1 before Gauff took advantage of a Liu mistake to take the match.

No.15 seed Angelique Kerber had to go to three sets to overcome Chinese teenager Zheng Qinwen, winning 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in a match that lasted two hours and 18 minutes.

Kerber will face No.23 seed Daria Kasatkina tomorrow.

Madison Keys also needed three sets to defeat Japan’s Misaki Doi 6-4, 3-6, 6-1.

Keys will face Alison Riske in the third round after Riske had beaten Garbiñe Muguruza earlier.

Estonian Kaia Kanepi beat No.22 seed Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-3 to set up a third round tie with Brit Harriet Dart, who earlier shocked Elina Svitolina 2-6, 6-3, 6-3.