Magda Linette delivered a major shock at the 2025 Miami Open, defeating World No. 3 Coco Gauff in a stunning fourth-round upset. The Polish player celebrated her victory with a playful message, marking the moment in style.
Facing Gauff with hopes of reaching her first Miami Open quarterfinal, the 21-year-old American struggled with her serve, committing 12 double faults. Linette capitalized on these errors to secure a 6-4, 6-4 win, advancing to the tournament’s final eight.
After her impressive triumph over the much younger Gauff, the 33-year-old Linette playfully referenced her age in a courtside message, even amusingly miswriting it before correcting herself. In her post-match interview, she expressed pride in overcoming such a formidable opponent and thanked the crowd for their support.
“Beating Coco for the first time is a huge achievement for me. She’s so tough. Even on her worst days, she’s incredibly difficult to beat. Thank you, everyone, for creating such an amazing atmosphere,” Linette said.
This victory marked Linette’s first win over Gauff after losing their previous two encounters, propelling her into her second WTA 1000 quarterfinal. She now sets her sights on a fourth tour-level title.
Next, Linette will face sixth seed Jasmine Paolini, who battled past Naomi Osaka with a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win. Linette holds a 2-1 lead in their head-to-head meetings, including a dominant 6-4, 6-0 victory in their most recent clash at the 2024 China Open.
Paolini acknowledged her struggles in that match and emphasized the need for a more aggressive approach this time.
“In Beijing, I wasn’t playing my best. Linette is a very complete player—strong on the forehand, backhand, and serve. I need to be aggressive, reduce my errors, and move as well as I did today,” Paolini said.
The winner of the Linette-Paolini match will take on either Aryna Sabalenka or Zheng Qinwen in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Coco Gauff is expected to return to action at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, beginning April 14, to kick off her clay-court season.
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