The Japan Times - French Open winner Gauff falls at first hurdle on Berlin grass

Recipient of a first round bye, American Gauff lost 6-3, 6-3 to Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu as world number one Sabalenka beat Rebeka Masarova 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) in her second round tie.

Winner of 10 main tour titles, including the US Open in 2023 and the WTA Finals in 2024, Gauff has yet to lift a trophy in a grass-court tournament.

Wang had lost her only previous match against Gauff in straight sets on the Berlin grass in 2022.

The 49th-ranked Chinese player trailed 3-1 in the second set before reeling off five straight games.

She will play Spain's Paula Badosa, the 10th seed, in the quarter-finals.

Earlier, Sabalenka completed her match, suspended on Wednesday after the first set, The Belarusian had to work hard on the resumption as the 112th-ranked Swiss Masarova took her to a tiebreak.

The win takes Sabalenka into the quarter-finals as she looks to build up her grass court form ahead of Wimbledon.

The 27-year-old has won 20 titles but none on grass.

She will face 11th-ranked Kazakh Elena Rybakina, who beat Czech doubles specialist Katerina Siniakova 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).

Sabalenka is bidding to reach the last four in Berlin for the first time in her career.

In the first match of the day, 2023 Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova, ranked down at 164, needed two hours 20 minutes to overcome Russian 12th seed Diana Shnaider 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3.

In the last eight she will face the Tunisian Ons Jabeur, the woman she beat in the Wimbledon final two years ago.

M.Matsumoto--JT