A 'VERY PHYSICAL' BATTLE

Bencic up next in Gauff's China title defence; Alcaraz cruises in Japan

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BEIJING - Defending champion Coco Gauff withstood a gruelling examination by Leylah Fernandez on Sept 28, battling through 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 to keep her hopes of winning back-to-back China Opens alive.

"I did what I needed to do to win today," the 21-year-old American said.

"It was very physical," she said.

"We were going back and forth." Gauff looked in control in the first set but the gritty Fernandez hit back in the second to force a decider. The 25th-ranked Canadian survived a match point to level at 5-5 but Gauff finally clinched the 2hr 45min marathon when Fernandez netted.

The world No. 3 next plays Switzerland's Belinda Bencic, who beat Australian qualifier Priscilla Hon 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, for a place in the quarter-finals.

In the men's draw, Lorenzo Musetti apologised on court after his match on Sept 28 for an outburst at coughing fans the day before.

"Well first of all, I want to say... a public apology," the 23-year-old Italian said in English, after beating France's Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-3 to move into the quarterfinals.