Coco Gauff drew on Frances Tiafoe’s remarkable comeback at the US Open as she fought back from a set down and saved two match points to defeat Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals.
The fourth-seeded American recovered to beat the fifth seed 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2 in two hours and 19 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium, reaching the US Open semi-finals for the second time.
Gauff had struggled badly in the opening set, producing only three winners and 14 unforced errors as Andreeva took control. But the 22-year-old steadied herself in the second-set tie-break, where she faced two match points before forcing a deciding set.
“I just had to reset,” Gauff said. “I came out at the start, not feeling the ball, giving her too many free points.”
She revealed that Tiafoe’s victory over Alex Michelsen the previous day had been on her mind. Tiafoe had recovered from two sets down and a game away from defeat to beat his fellow American 5-7, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (6) in a four-hour, 38-minute quarter-final.
“When I went to the restroom after the first set, honestly I was thinking about Frances Tiafoe and how he came back yesterday,” Gauff said.
“We all want to do well in front of this crowd. I was trying to leave the court with no regrets, I didn’t know what outcome would come. You guys really helped pull me through.”
The victory extended Gauff’s unbeaten record against Andreeva to six matches. It was also her 11th consecutive win and secured a semi-final meeting with Elena Rybakina, who became the new world number one after overcoming Qinwen Zheng.
Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, will be seeking a place in the final as she continues a strong run that has seen her reach four successive semi-finals across tournaments dating back to Wimbledon.
