"It's so impressive, and she writes so well," Liu said of Petkovic.
Liu noted that her own publishing schedule remains less frequent by comparison.
"And I'm putting out one like every six months," Liu said.
Liu acknowledged that organizing her analytical thoughts into readable essays presents a persistent challenge.
"I definitely don't have a lack of ideas," Liu replied.
Liu stated that she remained unaware of her upcoming opponent until after her second-round match was completed.
"I think it's just a good challenge for me.
I mean, even this week I've had three or four ideas, but it's a lot harder making it into something," Liu said.
The upcoming match will mark the third career meeting between Liu and Gauff, with Gauff winning both previous hard-court encounters.
"I will just take today to be happy for winning, and then tomorrow I'll think about it," Liu said.
"Obviously she's one of the best players in the world right now, so that'll be a good experience."
Her coach, Clemens Wagner, described Liu as an intense competitor who excels at redirecting pace from the baseline.
"It definitely makes me stay in the moment, like, day by day," Liu smiled of her lodging limbo.
Wagner noted that he recognized the internal difficulties Liu faced before they began working together at the 2025 U.
S. Open.
"I saw in her someone who fought a lot of battles inside herself," says Austrian-born Wagner, who has a background in tennis analytics.
Gauff advanced to the third round after defeating Tamara Korpatsch 6-2, 6-1 and Solana Sierra 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 [10-7].
"I feel like anytime you're playing a qualifier, it's always tough because they have three matches already," the seventh-seeded American said.
Fellow American Jessica Pegula expressed support for Liu's career trajectory and perseverance through the lower tiers of the sport.
"It's always nice to see girls that are figuring it out slowly but surely," the No. 4 seed said.
"I think I can relate to that."
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According to the official schedule, the match between Liu and Gauff will follow the men's singles match between Jannik Sinner and Jenson Brooksby on Court No. 1.
