Coco Gauff Battles Back in US Open Quarterfinal

NEW YORK — Coco Gauff’s aspiration for her third Grand Slam title seemed bleak on Wednesday afternoon at the U.S. Open. For one set, Mirra Andreeva, the 19-year-old French Open champion, played with precision against Gauff, who struggled significantly. Gauff had difficulty controlling her shots; her rebuilt forehand and serve faltered.

Andreeva aimed to manage stress after her Paris success throughout the summer. Gauff’s struggles were advantageous for her. After 12 minutes, Andreeva led 4-0 and secured the first set 6-2. As the match progressed, Gauff’s difficulties affected Andreeva, who started making errors.

“I kind of just wanted to play, you know, wanted to make a rally, a longer point,” Andreeva stated in a news conference. “If I maybe would have gone for something more risky to see what would have happened, maybe that would be the only thing that I would change.”

In the second set, the match swayed with both players showing nerves. During the tiebreak, Gauff faced match point twice but charged ahead forcing Andreeva into mistakes. Gauff’s perseverance paid off as she won the tiebreak, equalizing the match.

Early in the third set, Gauff chased a topspin lob and forced Andreeva into errors. Andreeva’s frustration was evident as she nearly hit a worker with her racket. Gauff used Andreeva’s mistakes to secure a 2-6, 7-6(7), 6-2 victory, thrilling the stadium.

Reflecting on her performance, Gauff cited inspiration from Frances Tiafoe’s recent comeback in a similar scenario. She considered that even on a challenging day, persistence might lead to success.

Gauff’s errors were apparent initially, with 14 errors and only three winners in the first set. Her serve improved throughout the match, contributing to her victory. Gauff’s revitalized performance culminated with increased accuracy and minimal errors in the final set.

The match showcased Gauff and Andreeva’s skill, especially with their powerful backhands and Western forehand grips. Their approach resulted in long rallies but also highlighted their error-prone play during tense moments.

Both players’ reluctance to assert control led to a second-set tiebreak. Gauff capitalized on Andreeva’s errors to win. Winning was not pretty for Gauff, but her resilience led to overcoming adversity.

Andreeva acknowledged her tendency to lose with errors and emotions influencing her performance, further aggravated by the crowd’s energy.

Gauff, with improved accuracy and strong serves, will compete against Elena Rybakina in the semifinals, aiming to reach the final with continued determination.