Coco Gauff claimed a 6-2, 6-4 win over Lucia Bronzetti to reach the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Open on Thursday, with the second seed's game showing some minor rust after a bye in the previous round.
Gauff got a free pass into the last 16 when intended opponent Dayana Yastremska withdrew before the start with injury.
Locked in 🔒@CocoGauff defeats Bronzetti 6-2, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals!#CincyTennis pic.twitter.com/b2UBXPiY9J
— wta (@WTA) August 14, 2025
The American, who won the Cincinnati title in 2023 before carrying her momentum to a US Open crown three weeks later, will next meet seventh seed Jasmine Paolini.
Gauff will be playing her third 1000-level quarterfinal of the season after Madrid and Rome – both of which she went on to reach the final.
The 21-year-old, who lost an early break in both sets, finally secured a spot in the last eight with a concluding break of the 61st-ranked Italian's serve as Bronzetti hit long after 79 minutes on court.
Gauff said that memories of her title success here two years ago come to the surface whenever she is on the centre court.
"It's super special to play on this court, I have so many memories from 2023.
"I played controlled but aggressive, but sometimes I was a bit passive. It's tough because the ball really flies and she was giving me no pace.
"I had chances (when she lost serve) but I missed a couple of balls. I was still able to close it out."
In other action on Thursday, Paolini crushed 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova 6-1, 6-2.
Krejcikova had treatment on her left foot in the second set and her movement was clearly hampered.
Paolini, the 2024 Roland Garros and Wimbledon finalist, won seven straight games on the way to a 4-0 second-set lead and rallied from 0-30 down in the final game to advance.
"She's a great player and can do anything she wants with the ball," Paolini said. "But I don't think she was at 100 per cent today.
"I'm glad I stayed in the match mentally to the last point."
Gauff will play Paolini - whom she beat here two years ago on the way to the title - in her third 1000-level quarterfinal of the season after Madrid and Rome.