Coco Gauff had a challenging match on Wednesday afternoon against fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva in the US Open quarter-finals. After dropping the first four games, Gauff lost the opening set in just 26 minutes, breaking her streak of 20 consecutive sets won since mid-August. She recorded 12 double faults and 42 unforced errors, particularly struggling with her forehand. Despite facing two match points during a tense second-set tiebreaker, Gauff managed to turn the match around, winning 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2. This victory marks her advancement to the semi-finals for the first time in New York since her grand slam debut three years ago.
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Gauff acknowledged her slow start, saying that Andreeva played at a very high level and forced her into errors. "I was able to reset and somehow get out of that one," she remarked. She drew inspiration from fellow American Frances Tiafoe, who made a remarkable comeback from two sets down in his quarter-final match just a day earlier.
As she faced elimination in the second set, Gauff's focus was solely on retaining that set, stating, "I felt like I worked so hard to give myself opportunities and lost them." Once the third set began, she regained confidence in her game.
If Gauff were to win the tournament, she would become the second woman in the Open era to capture the US Open after saving match points, the first since Martina Navratilova in 1986. With this latest result, Gauff reached her seventh major semi-final before the age of 23, surpassed only by Venus Williams and Serena Williams among current players.
Despite a subpar serving performance, Gauff reflected on her growth over the past year, emphasizing her improved perspective on the ups and downs of a career. She acknowledged that her mindset has shifted, reinforcing her determination to continue working hard.
Gauff declared, "Honestly, just believing is all I can do. The game may not always show up, but I can control the belief in myself." Gauff's next challenge will be against second-seeded Elena Rybakina, who is poised to be the new world No. 1 after the tournament. Gauff noted the challenge ahead, saying, "I know I’m going to have some aces hit on me... but I’m going to keep fighting and give it my all."