New York (AFP) – Drawing inspiration from Frances Tiafoe’s rally from two sets down to reach the US Open semi-finals, Coco Gauff saved two match points in her own fightback victory on Wednesday. World number four Gauff, a 22-year-old American and two-time Grand Slam winner, was on the edge of defeat in a second-set tie-breaker before ousting reigning French Open champion Mirra Andreeva 2-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 to reach the US Open semi-finals.
Gauff advanced to a Thursday match at Arthur Ashe Stadium against Elena Rybakina, who beat Chinese qualifier Zheng Qinwen 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, to ensure the second-ranked Kazakh star will leap to world number one next week. Gauff’s victory was much like compatriot Tiafoe’s comeback triumph Tuesday over fellow American Alex Michelsen in a dramatic five-setter.
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“Sometimes you just need a little bit of inspiration, and Frances was that for me in that moment,” Gauff said. “Frances was looking — I was watching the end of that set and it looked like he was down and out. And sometimes you just need a chance, and I think I got my chances today.”
Gauff struggled in the first set and battled through four service breaks in a row for the two until a tie-break where Russian teen Andreeva had two match points, but each time fired an errant forehand. Two unforced errors on the final points gave Gauff her chance, and she rolled through the final set.
“I was just really determined to not lose that second set, because I felt like I worked so hard to give myself opportunities and lost them,” Gauff said. “I didn’t know how the third set would go, but I was just really focused on trying not to lose that second set. One point turned into another. Once the third set started, I felt pretty confident I was going to come out with that one.”
Tiafoe, who faces American Ben Shelton in Friday’s men’s semis, has provided motivation beyond his never-say-die example at Flushing Meadows. “Frances is such a light and such a joy to have on tour. Always been so nice and just hyping me up and my family up,” Gauff said. “He’s a special type of person and almost everybody on tour can agree that he’s one of the few players who is always lighting up the room and giving respect towards us women too. He’s a rare person in this world and in this sport.”
Not that Gauff is going to tell Tiafoe any of that, adding, “I don’t like to give him any credit. Hopefully he doesn’t see these (remarks).” Gauff did not message either Tiafoe or Shelton, whose early morning upset of Carlos Alcaraz was the latest-ever US Open finish. “I feel like it’s a bad luck or omen, so I usually don’t like to text anyone while they’re playing in a tournament,” Gauff said.
– ‘It’s so incredible’ – Gauff, the 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open winner, is excited that three black players — herself, Tiafoe and Shelton — have a chance to win at Ashe, named for a legendary 1960s black tennis pioneer. Either Tiafoe or Shelton will play for the chance to be the first US men’s major winner in 23 years.
“It’s so incredible. Honestly, especially on the men’s side, I never thought I’d be able to have the chance to see like an all-Black semi-final between the guys in my lifetime,” Gauff said. “And to have also me in the semis, I think it’s really cool.”
It helps sustain Gauff’s belief in herself and her game. “Just believing is all I can do. I mean, the game may not always show up, but I can control the belief in myself,” she said. “Even if it’s delusional, the more instances I keep showing up and maybe being successful in those moments, maybe that delusion will be more factual.”
© 2024 AFP
