World number three Coco Gauff is full of optimism heading into the claycourt season as she targets a first French Open crown but the American said her immediate focus was on ending her trophy drought on the surface over the coming weeks. Gauff last won a title on clay at the Emilia-Romagna Open in 2021, a year before losing in the Roland Garros final to Iga Swiatek.

The 20-year-old will have the chance to end that barren run in Stuttgart this week, with tournaments in Madrid and Rome also on the horizon before the second Grand Slam of the year. "For the clay season this year, I'm really optimistic," she told reporters ahead of her match against fellow American Sachia Vickery later on Wednesday. "Obviously the goal is to win the French Open, but that's every season for any top player. Your goals should be to try to win the big tournaments.

"But I'm not looking at French Open right now. I'm focused on Stuttgart. I want to try to win Madrid or Rome or here ... I just want to get a recent clay title under my belt. So any of the ones along the next couple weeks would be nice."

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The U.S. Open champion has added former coach Jean-Cristophe Faurel to her team alongside Brad Gilbert, as she looks to claim a second Grand Slam crown. Gauff has posted good results on clay with Faurel in her corner, notably winning the 2018 Roland Garros junior title.

"It's nice to have someone on my team that knows me since I was young and knows me well," added Gauff, who stopped working with the Frenchman in 2020. "So I'm really excited to have him back on the team."

The French Open main draw will begin on May 26. Gauff reached the quarter-finals last year.

World number three Coco Gauff is full of optimism heading into the claycourt season as she targets a first French Open crown but the American said her immediate focus was on ending her trophy drought on the surface over the coming weeks.

World number three Coco Gauff is full of optimism heading into the claycourt season as she targets a first French Open crown but the American said her immediate focus was on ending her trophy drought on the surface over the coming weeks. Gauff last won a title on clay at the Emilia-Romagna Open in 2021, a year before losing in the Roland Garros final to Iga Swiatek. The 20-year-old will have the chance to end that barren run in Stuttgart this week, with tournaments in Madrid and Rome also on the horizon before the second Grand Slam of the year. "For the clay season this year, I'm really optimistic," she told reporters ahead of her match against fellow American Sachia Vickery later on Wednesday. "Obviously the goal is to win the French Open, but that's every season for any top player. Your goals should be to try to win the big tournaments. "But I'm not looking at French Open right now. I'm focused on Stuttgart. I want to try to win Madrid or Rome or here ... I just want to get a recent clay title under my belt. So any of the ones along the next couple weeks would be nice." Also read: Formula One: Mercedes announces a WHOPPING turnover for 2023 season The U.S. Open champion has added former coach Jean-Cristophe Faurel to her team alongside Brad Gilbert, as she looks to claim a second Grand Slam crown. Gauff has posted good results on clay with Faurel in her corner, notably winning the 2018 Roland Garros junior title. "It's nice to have someone on my team that knows me since I was young and knows me well," added Gauff, who stopped working with the Frenchman in 2020. "So I'm really excited to have him back on the team." The French Open main draw will begin on May 26. Gauff reached the quarter-finals last year.

Tennis: Coco Gauff eager to end claycourt trophy drought before French Open

World number three Coco Gauff said it would not be easy to shrug off Monday's Miami Open defeat by Caroline Garcia but the former Roland Garros runner-up is setting her sights on the claycourt season and the year's second Grand Slam. Playing in her home tournament in southern Florida, Gauff fell 6-3 1-6 6-2 to Frenchwoman Garcia in the fourth round on a day of upsets at the tournament.

"I'm the type of person every loss weighs on me heavy, especially one like today where I felt like I could have done better and I felt like I had the match in control, especially after the second set," Gauff told reporters. "Honestly, if anything, it helps being home so I can just drive and be home and be in my own bed.

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"I wish I could have did better this hardcourt season, but I'm excited for clay," added the 20-year-old U.S. Open champion, who lost to Iga Swiatek in the 2022 French Open final. "I'm playing Stuttgart as of now and then obviously Madrid, Rome and the French Open."

Garcia, who beat four-times major champion Naomi Osaka in the previous round, was delighted to reach her first quarter-final of the season. "The last couple of months haven't been easy, and definitely today following the match yesterday, it means a lot," added the 30-year-old, who plays Danielle Collins next. "It was some great tennis."

World number three Coco Gauff said it would not be easy to shrug off Monday's Miami Open defeat by Caroline Garcia but the former Roland Garros runner-up is setting her sights on the claycourt season and the year's second Grand Slam.

World number three Coco Gauff said it would not be easy to shrug off Monday's Miami Open defeat by Caroline Garcia but the former Roland Garros runner-up is setting her sights on the claycourt season and the year's second Grand Slam. Playing in her home tournament in southern Florida, Gauff fell 6-3 1-6 6-2 to Frenchwoman Garcia in the fourth round on a day of upsets at the tournament. "I'm the type of person every loss weighs on me heavy, especially one like today where I felt like I could have done better and I felt like I had the match in control, especially after the second set," Gauff told reporters. "Honestly, if anything, it helps being home so I can just drive and be home and be in my own bed. Also read: Tennis: Former world number one Andy Murray gives fans an effort to remember in Miami swan song "I wish I could have did better this hardcourt season, but I'm excited for clay," added the 20-year-old U.S. Open champion, who lost to Iga Swiatek in the 2022 French Open final. "I'm playing Stuttgart as of now and then obviously Madrid, Rome and the French Open." Garcia, who beat four-times major champion Naomi Osaka in the previous round, was delighted to reach her first quarter-final of the season. "The last couple of months haven't been easy, and definitely today following the match yesterday, it means a lot," added the 30-year-old, who plays Danielle Collins next. "It was some great tennis."

Tennis: World number three Coco Gauff looking forward to clay season after Miami disappointment

Second seed Jannik Sinner pulled off a Miami Open great escape by coming back from the brink with a gritty 5-7 7-5 6-1 win over Tallon Griekspoor to move into the fourth round on Sunday. In contrast defending champion and third seed Daniil Medvedev had mostly drama free passage taking down Briton Cameron Norrie 7-5 6-1.

The final that fans are hoping to see next weekend between Sinner and top seed Carlos Alcaraz seemed in danger when big-hitting Dutchman Griekspoor took the opening set and was serving for a 6-5 lead in the second.

But second seed Sinner, displaying some of the steel that has made him a Grand Slam champion, came through in the clutch by securing his first break of the match when he needed it most to go up 6-5 and then held serve to level the contest at 1-1.

After flirting with danger, the Italian took command by breaking the 26th-ranked Griekspoor at the first opportunity in the third set and broke a second time to go 5-1 ahead before serving out the match with a forehand winner into an open court.

"I think even the first set was really close, but it went away,” said Sinner, who will next play the winner of the match between Chris O’Connell and Martin Damm. "Mentally I tried to stay strong, which I did, and I was in a tough situation today. "It’s been a tough day for me, but very happy about the result."

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There was no escape for sixth-seeded Dane Holger Rune who was swept aside 6-1 6-1 by Fabian Marozsan in 59 minutes. The Hungarian, known for his delicate touch and one of best drop shots in the game, struck 23 winners and converted all five of his break opportunities while Rune was 0-3 on his chances.

Ranked 57th, danger man Marozsan is quickly developing a reputation as a giant killer, having last year knocked off then world number two Alcaraz in the third round of the Rome Masters, which was widely rated as the upset of the year.

The 24-year-old also took down eighth seed Casper Ruud at the Shanghai Masters, reaching at least the last 16 in all three Masters 1000 events he has played. Blocking Marozsan's path to the fourth round is Australian Alexei Popyrin, who advanced with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Czech Jiri Lehecka.

"It is a great feeling to play at the highest level," Marozsan told reporters. "I try to play my best tennis and today against a top 10 player and I am enjoying my time here."

After Americans Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe all exited in the second round, Ben Shelton is the top seeded U.S. player left in the draw, the 16th seed making the third round with a 6-3 6-4 win over Spanish wildcard Martin Landaluce.

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<h2>GAUFF, SWIATEK ALSO ADVANCE AHEAD</h2>

It took Coco Gauff a while to wake up on Sunday, but when she did it was lights out for Oceane Dodin as the American third seed stormed back from 4-2 down to earn a 6-4 6-0 win and a place in the Miami Open fourth round.

World number one Iga Swiatek was working the night shift at Hard Rock stadium but also had trouble getting in gear before taming Czech 26th seed Linda Noskova 6-7(7) 6-4 6-4 to keep her bid for a second "Sunshine Double" - back-to-back wins at Indian Wells and Miami Open - on track.

While Swiatek was not at her best, the effort was enough to improve her season record to 22-2 and set up a meeting with 14th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the round of 16.

"Sometimes we have matches like that and we need to figure out how to close them anyway," Swiatek told reporters. "For sure it wasn't easy. "There were just many ups and downs. I'm happy that after the first set I had a better idea on what to do, and I just tried to do that in important moments."

Gauff sleepwalked through much of her opening set in the first match on Hard Rock Stadium court, but when the alarm went off the U.S. Open champion swept 10 straight games to stun the French lucky loser.

With Gauff pouring on the pressure, Dodin began to crumble, piling up nine double faults and 26 unforced errors compared to just seven by her 20-year-old opponent.

"She's a big hitter. She likes the game on her terms," Gauff told reporters. "I was trying my best to get deep in the court and just weather the storm. "Overall I feel good so far. "I'm trying to improve with each match. Definitely playing a little bit better than I was last week in Indian Wells."

With the win, Gauff matched her best Miami result and will await the winner between Caroline Garcia and Naomi Osaka for a place in the quarter-finals.

After a disappointing day for the American men on Saturday when three of the top four seeds exited, the U.S. women picked up the flag with fifth seed Jessica Pegula and 20th seed Emma Navarro also advancing. Pegula, who has reached the Miami Open semi-finals for the last two years, took another step towards another appearance in the last four with a 7-5 6-4 win over Canadian Leylah Fernandez.

Navarro, coming off a quarter-final run last week at Indian Wells where she beat world number two Aryna Sabalenka and 17th ranked Elina Svitolina, continued her superb form in Miami with a 6-2 3-6 6-0 third round win over Italian 12th seed Jasmine Paolini.

In other action, 23rd seeded Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia came out on top 7-6(4) 7-5 in a third round slugfest with Japan's Osaka that featured a total of 28 aces. Helped by 16 aces, Garcia has now won two matches at a tournament for the first time since the China Open last October and will next meet another big-hitter third seed Coco Gauff for a place in the quarter-finals.

Second seed Jannik Sinner pulled off a Miami Open great escape by coming back from the brink with a gritty 5-7 7-5 6-1 win over Tallon Griekspoor to move into the fourth round on Sunday.

Second seed Jannik Sinner pulled off a Miami Open great escape by coming back from the brink with a gritty 5-7 7-5 6-1 win over Tallon Griekspoor to move into the fourth round on Sunday. In contrast defending champion and third seed Daniil Medvedev had mostly drama free passage taking down Briton Cameron Norrie 7-5 6-1. The final that fans are hoping to see next weekend between Sinner and top seed Carlos Alcaraz seemed in danger when big-hitting Dutchman Griekspoor took the opening set and was serving for a 6-5 lead in the second. But second seed Sinner, displaying some of the steel that has made him a Grand Slam champion, came through in the clutch by securing his first break of the match when he needed it most to go up 6-5 and then held serve to level the contest at 1-1. After flirting with danger, the Italian took command by breaking the 26th-ranked Griekspoor at the first opportunity in the third set and broke a second time to go 5-1 ahead before serving out the match with a forehand winner into an open court. "I think even the first set was really close, but it went away,” said Sinner, who will next play the winner of the match between Chris O’Connell and Martin Damm. "Mentally I tried to stay strong, which I did, and I was in a tough situation today. "It’s been a tough day for me, but very happy about the result." Also read: Tennis: Former world number one Andy Murray gives fans an effort to remember in Miami swan song There was no escape for sixth-seeded Dane Holger Rune who was swept aside 6-1 6-1 by Fabian Marozsan in 59 minutes. The Hungarian, known for his delicate touch and one of best drop shots in the game, struck 23 winners and converted all five of his break opportunities while Rune was 0-3 on his chances. Ranked 57th, danger man Marozsan is quickly developing a reputation as a giant killer, having last year knocked off then world number two Alcaraz in the third round of the Rome Masters, which was widely rated as the upset of the year. The 24-year-old also took down eighth seed Casper Ruud at the Shanghai Masters, reaching at least the last 16 in all three Masters 1000 events he has played. Blocking Marozsan's path to the fourth round is Australian Alexei Popyrin, who advanced with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Czech Jiri Lehecka. "It is a great feeling to play at the highest level," Marozsan told reporters. "I try to play my best tennis and today against a top 10 player and I am enjoying my time here." After Americans Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe all exited in the second round, Ben Shelton is the top seeded U.S. player left in the draw, the 16th seed making the third round with a 6-3 6-4 win over Spanish wildcard Martin Landaluce. Also read: George Russell’s terrifying scream for help as his Mercedes flips during horror Australian GP crash GAUFF, SWIATEK ALSO ADVANCE AHEAD It took Coco Gauff a while to wake up on Sunday, but when she did it was lights out for Oceane Dodin as the American third seed stormed back from 4-2 down to earn a 6-4 6-0 win and a place in the Miami Open fourth round. World number one Iga Swiatek was working the night shift at Hard Rock stadium but also had trouble getting in gear before taming Czech 26th seed Linda Noskova 6-7(7) 6-4 6-4 to keep her bid for a second "Sunshine Double" - back-to-back wins at Indian Wells and Miami Open - on track. While Swiatek was not at her best, the effort was enough to improve her season record to 22-2 and set up a meeting with 14th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova in the round of 16. "Sometimes we have matches like that and we need to figure out how to close them anyway," Swiatek told reporters. "For sure it wasn't easy. "There were just many ups and downs. I'm happy that after the first set I had a better idea on what to do, and I just tried to do that in important moments." Gauff sleepwalked through much of her opening set in the first match on Hard Rock Stadium court, but when the alarm went off the U.S. Open champion swept 10 straight games to stun the French lucky loser. With Gauff pouring on the pressure, Dodin began to crumble, piling up nine double faults and 26 unforced errors compared to just seven by her 20-year-old opponent. "She's a big hitter. She likes the game on her terms," Gauff told reporters. "I was trying my best to get deep in the court and just weather the storm. "Overall I feel good so far. "I'm trying to improve with each match. Definitely playing a little bit better than I was last week in Indian Wells." With the win, Gauff matched her best Miami result and will await the winner between Caroline Garcia and Naomi Osaka for a place in the quarter-finals. After a disappointing day for the American men on Saturday when three of the top four seeds exited, the U.S. women picked up the flag with fifth seed Jessica Pegula and 20th seed Emma Navarro also advancing. Pegula, who has reached the Miami Open semi-finals for the last two years, took another step towards another appearance in the last four with a 7-5 6-4 win over Canadian Leylah Fernandez. Navarro, coming off a quarter-final run last week at Indian Wells where she beat world number two Aryna Sabalenka and 17th ranked Elina Svitolina, continued her superb form in Miami with a 6-2 3-6 6-0 third round win over Italian 12th seed Jasmine Paolini. In other action, 23rd seeded Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia came out on top 7-6(4) 7-5 in a third round slugfest with Japan's Osaka that featured a total of 28 aces. Helped by 16 aces, Garcia has now won two matches at a tournament for the first time since the China Open last October and will next meet another big-hitter third seed Coco Gauff for a place in the quarter-finals.

Tennis: Aus Open winner Jannik Sinner claims thriller in Miami Open, Gauff & Swiatek also move ahead

Maria Sakkari endured a spirited fightback from Coco Gauff to stun the third seed 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2 in a rain-interrupted Indian Wells semi-final on Friday and set up an intriguing rematch of the 2022 title clash with Iga Swiatek.

U.S. Open champion Gauff looked far from her best early in the match as Sakkari drew first blood after a short rain delay by breaking the American third seed in the ninth game, before securing the opening set with ease.

The players were forced off the court for a longer spell as the showers returned at the start of the second set, but Sakkari picked up from where she left off when the action resumed and tightened her grip on the contest with a double break.

But Gauff was not done and the 20-year-old rediscovered her rhythm in the high-octane second set to save three match points and go level at 5-5, eventually forcing a tie break which she dominated to set up a decider.

Ninth seed Sakkari regrouped and showed her quality in the decisive points after swapping breaks with Gauff early in the third set to prevail in the late-night thriller.

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"I don't want to disrespect Coco, but it would have been amazing if this match was over an hour ago," Sakkari said after the epic battle that lasted two hours and 41 minutes. "I'm going to take this win even though it was in three sets. I was thinking of the finish line in the second set and then things got tricky. But that was an amazing win."

"Coco is such an amazing opponent. She's incredible. She fights for every point. I'm just so happy I'm in the final once again here."

Top seed Swiatek earlier produced a near-flawless display in chilly, windy conditions to cruise past Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-1 and remain on track for her second title of the year.

"For sure I'm happy with the performance. I think it was the cleanest match I played here. The focus was high throughout and I didn't have any doubts," said Swiatek, who has not dropped a set in the Californian desert this year.

"It's already a great tournament."

The 2022 champion made her intentions clear early on with an aggressive start to break for a 2-1 lead and pulled further away when Kostyuk hit a double fault two games later.

The 21-year-old Kostyuk surrendered the opening set in 31 minutes and was put through the wringer again by world number one Swiatek at the start of the second set.

A powerful smash at the net gave Swiatek another break. The four-times Grand Slam champion withstood some pressure from the 31st seed in the next game before building a 3-0 advantage.

Kostyuk appeared to struggle with a left foot problem and a medical timeout only delayed the inevitable, as Swiatek eased to a WTA Tour-leading 19th match win of the season, finishing off the match with a forehand winner.

Maria Sakkari endured a spirited fightback from Coco Gauff to stun the third seed 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2 in a rain-interrupted Indian Wells semi-final on Friday and set up an intriguing rematch of the 2022 title clash with Iga Swiatek.

Maria Sakkari endured a spirited fightback from Coco Gauff to stun the third seed 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2 in a rain-interrupted Indian Wells semi-final on Friday and set up an intriguing rematch of the 2022 title clash with Iga Swiatek. U.S. Open champion Gauff looked far from her best early in the match as Sakkari drew first blood after a short rain delay by breaking the American third seed in the ninth game, before securing the opening set with ease. The players were forced off the court for a longer spell as the showers returned at the start of the second set, but Sakkari picked up from where she left off when the action resumed and tightened her grip on the contest with a double break. But Gauff was not done and the 20-year-old rediscovered her rhythm in the high-octane second set to save three match points and go level at 5-5, eventually forcing a tie break which she dominated to set up a decider. Ninth seed Sakkari regrouped and showed her quality in the decisive points after swapping breaks with Gauff early in the third set to prevail in the late-night thriller. ALSO READ: Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald announces retirement "I don't want to disrespect Coco, but it would have been amazing if this match was over an hour ago," Sakkari said after the epic battle that lasted two hours and 41 minutes. "I'm going to take this win even though it was in three sets. I was thinking of the finish line in the second set and then things got tricky. But that was an amazing win." "Coco is such an amazing opponent. She's incredible. She fights for every point. I'm just so happy I'm in the final once again here." Top seed Swiatek earlier produced a near-flawless display in chilly, windy conditions to cruise past Ukraine's Marta Kostyuk 6-2 6-1 and remain on track for her second title of the year. "For sure I'm happy with the performance. I think it was the cleanest match I played here. The focus was high throughout and I didn't have any doubts," said Swiatek, who has not dropped a set in the Californian desert this year. "It's already a great tournament." The 2022 champion made her intentions clear early on with an aggressive start to break for a 2-1 lead and pulled further away when Kostyuk hit a double fault two games later. The 21-year-old Kostyuk surrendered the opening set in 31 minutes and was put through the wringer again by world number one Swiatek at the start of the second set. A powerful smash at the net gave Swiatek another break. The four-times Grand Slam champion withstood some pressure from the 31st seed in the next game before building a 3-0 advantage. Kostyuk appeared to struggle with a left foot problem and a medical timeout only delayed the inevitable, as Swiatek eased to a WTA Tour-leading 19th match win of the season, finishing off the match with a forehand winner.

Indian Wells 2024: Maria Sakkari stuns Coco Gauff to book summit clash date with Iga Swiatek

Third seed Coco Gauff served up 17 double faults but still managed to beat China's Yuan Yue 6-4 6-3 at Indian Wells on Thursday to reach the semi-finals in the Californian desert for the first time. A day after her 20th birthday, Gauff had to rally from 3-1 down in the second set before setting up a clash with ninth seed Maria Sakkari, who ended American Emma Navarro's run with a 5-7 6-2 6-4 victory.

"I'm really happy to be through today's match," said one-time teen prodigy Gauff. "It wasn't the best style of the serving, but overall I think when it comes to the groundstroke game and returns, everything else, honestly, I played well. I'll just try and take the positives into the next match."

Gauff, who said she celebrated her birthday with steak tacos, saved seven of the 10 break points she faced over the match, including three to avoid going 4-1 down in the second set. "I pretty much just relied on me just out-rallying her and being aggressive," Gauff added. "I think a lot of break points that were saved, at least in that second set, I just remember hitting a lot of forehand winners."

Gauff joined Iga Swiatek and Caroline Wozniacki as the only players to have reached five WTA 1000 semi-finals before the age of 21.

Top seed Swiatek earlier also reached the semi-finals after former world number one Wozniacki retired with a foot injury early in the second set of their quarter-final. Wozniacki started strongly as she raced into a 4-1 lead but she was soon left frustrated as Swiatek produced a barrage of winners to storm back and win the set 6-4.

The Dane, who returned to the circuit last year after taking a three-year break to start a family, had a medical timeout to have her right foot re-strapped at the end of the first set. That failed to improve the situation, however, and she gestured to her opponent that she was unable to continue once Swiatek had taken a 1-0 lead in the second.

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"I have a huge respect for her and I'm sad she has to go that way, I'm sure she will recover and I hope she will be ready for Miami," Swiatek said. "But I'm happy that I played well enough in first set to win it."

Swiatek, the 2022 champion, will face Marta Kostyuk in the semi-finals after the Ukrainian defeated Anastasia Potapova 6-0 7-5. "Let's not put expectations too high," world number 32 Kostyuk said of her meeting with Swiatek. "She's a great competitor, she's been on top of the game for two years already."

Sakkari, who is working with new coach David Witt for the first time at Indian Wells after a patchy run of results, closed out the evening with a comeback win over Navarro to reach the semi-finals of the tournament for a third straight year.

"That was the toughest match I've played in a while," said Sakkari. "Emma is an incredible player ... She's been playing amazing. It's a huge win. I'm very happy I found a way to win this match today."

Third seed Coco Gauff served up 17 double faults but still managed to beat China's Yuan Yue 6-4 6-3 at Indian Wells on Thursday to reach the semi-finals in the Californian desert for the first time.

Third seed Coco Gauff served up 17 double faults but still managed to beat China's Yuan Yue 6-4 6-3 at Indian Wells on Thursday to reach the semi-finals in the Californian desert for the first time. A day after her 20th birthday, Gauff had to rally from 3-1 down in the second set before setting up a clash with ninth seed Maria Sakkari, who ended American Emma Navarro's run with a 5-7 6-2 6-4 victory. "I'm really happy to be through today's match," said one-time teen prodigy Gauff. "It wasn't the best style of the serving, but overall I think when it comes to the groundstroke game and returns, everything else, honestly, I played well. I'll just try and take the positives into the next match." Gauff, who said she celebrated her birthday with steak tacos, saved seven of the 10 break points she faced over the match, including three to avoid going 4-1 down in the second set. "I pretty much just relied on me just out-rallying her and being aggressive," Gauff added. "I think a lot of break points that were saved, at least in that second set, I just remember hitting a lot of forehand winners." Gauff joined Iga Swiatek and Caroline Wozniacki as the only players to have reached five WTA 1000 semi-finals before the age of 21. Top seed Swiatek earlier also reached the semi-finals after former world number one Wozniacki retired with a foot injury early in the second set of their quarter-final. Wozniacki started strongly as she raced into a 4-1 lead but she was soon left frustrated as Swiatek produced a barrage of winners to storm back and win the set 6-4. The Dane, who returned to the circuit last year after taking a three-year break to start a family, had a medical timeout to have her right foot re-strapped at the end of the first set. That failed to improve the situation, however, and she gestured to her opponent that she was unable to continue once Swiatek had taken a 1-0 lead in the second. Also read: Tennis: Carlos Alcaraz overcomes bees and Alexander Zverev to advance to Indian Wells semis "I have a huge respect for her and I'm sad she has to go that way, I'm sure she will recover and I hope she will be ready for Miami," Swiatek said. "But I'm happy that I played well enough in first set to win it." Swiatek, the 2022 champion, will face Marta Kostyuk in the semi-finals after the Ukrainian defeated Anastasia Potapova 6-0 7-5. "Let's not put expectations too high," world number 32 Kostyuk said of her meeting with Swiatek. "She's a great competitor, she's been on top of the game for two years already." Sakkari, who is working with new coach David Witt for the first time at Indian Wells after a patchy run of results, closed out the evening with a comeback win over Navarro to reach the semi-finals of the tournament for a third straight year. "That was the toughest match I've played in a while," said Sakkari. "Emma is an incredible player ... She's been playing amazing. It's a huge win. I'm very happy I found a way to win this match today."

Tennis: Error-prone Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek enter Indian Wells semifinals

Coco Gauff said a heated exchange with the chair umpire midway through her match with Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday had spurred her on to complete a 2-6 6-4 6-3 victory and reach the quarter-finals of the Dubai&nbsp;Tennis&nbsp;Championships.

The U.S. Open champion lost the first set but was leading 4-2 in the second when her first serve at deuce, which Pliskova returned into the net, was called out.

The American challenged the call and her review was successful but instead of awarding Gauff the point French chair umpire Pierre Bacchi told the 19-year-old to replay it.

That sparked a lengthy back-and-forth between the pair, with Guaff's repeated requests to speak to a supervisor denied by the umpire.

"It definitely gave me some adrenaline," said Gauff, who eventually composed herself and won the replayed point. "Luckily I was able to overcome that pretty quickly. I'm glad I was able to reset.

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"I think it just fuelled me," she added.

"It's just one point. It happens in&nbsp;tennis. Players make mistakes, everybody makes mistakes.

"I was trying to tell myself to stay calm the next point. Sometimes I get angry and I go for too much. I was trying to let that not be the turning point for the set.

"Maybe I dragged it out a little longer than I needed to, but I did what I felt was best in that moment."

Third seed Gauff faces Anna Kalinskaya later on Thursday for a place in the semi-finals.

Coco Gauff said a heated exchange with the chair umpire midway through her match with Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday had spurred her on to complete a 2-6 6-4 6-3 victory and reach the quarter-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships.

Coco Gauff said a heated exchange with the chair umpire midway through her match with Karolina Pliskova on Wednesday had spurred her on to complete a 2-6 6-4 6-3 victory and reach the quarter-finals of the Dubai Tennis Championships. The U.S. Open champion lost the first set but was leading 4-2 in the second when her first serve at deuce, which Pliskova returned into the net, was called out. The American challenged the call and her review was successful but instead of awarding Gauff the point French chair umpire Pierre Bacchi told the 19-year-old to replay it. That sparked a lengthy back-and-forth between the pair, with Guaff's repeated requests to speak to a supervisor denied by the umpire. "It definitely gave me some adrenaline," said Gauff, who eventually composed herself and won the replayed point. "Luckily I was able to overcome that pretty quickly. I'm glad I was able to reset. ALSO READ: Lionel Messi shines as Inter Miami thrash Real Salt Lake 2-0 in MLS season opener "I think it just fuelled me," she added. "It's just one point. It happens in tennis. Players make mistakes, everybody makes mistakes. "I was trying to tell myself to stay calm the next point. Sometimes I get angry and I go for too much. I was trying to let that not be the turning point for the set. "Maybe I dragged it out a little longer than I needed to, but I did what I felt was best in that moment." Third seed Gauff faces Anna Kalinskaya later on Thursday for a place in the semi-finals.

Dubai Tennis Championships: Coco Gauff fuelled in heated exchange with umpire in QF win

US Open champion Coco Gauff said on Monday that tennis can follow basketball's example and have men facing women in specialised contests such as Serena Williams and Australian Nick Kyrgios in serve targets.

Gauff was speaking after Stephen Curry sank his last four shots from the right corner to defeat Sabrina Ionescu 29-26 in a 3-point NBA-Women's NBA Challenge on Saturday at NBA All-Star weekend.

The first-ever shootout of the sexes was a groundbreaking showdown between elite guards -- Golden State's Curry, the NBA's all-time 3-point basket leader, and WNBA single-season 3-point record holder Ionescu of the New York Liberty.

Both players shot from the NBA three-point line, which is farther away from the basket than the WNBA three-point line.

Speaking to reporters in Dubai, where she is competing in the WTA tournament, Gauff was asked what skills challenge, akin to the ones featured at the weekend, would work in tennis.

The 19-year-old American said she would love to see Serena Williams and Nick Kyrgios go toe-to-toe in a serve targets contest.

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"There's also like the dropshot one," she said. "Ons (Jabeur) and Carlos (Alcaraz) would be a cool matchup against that. There could be maybe a consistency challenge."

Gauff hailed Ionescu's efforts against Curry.

"I think the Sabrina and Steph competition was great," said Gauff. "I think most people were rooting for Sabrina. What she did was incredible, especially also shooting from the NBA line."

"Steph is definitely the greatest three-point shooter ever."

Gauff said she would hope the man against woman shootout is not a one-off.

"I just hope they continue to do this," she said. "It just humbles a lot of men in the world. I really like that.

"Especially basketball, that type of competition, it's something physicality doesn't always matter.

"I think that's what makes it cool."

Gauff is seeded number three this week and will open her campaign against Italian lucky loser Elisabetta Cocciaretto on Tuesday.

The American is coming off an early exit in Doha.

She will be looking to recapture the form that saw her start the season with a title in Auckland and reach the Australian Open semi-finals where she lost to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka.

"It was just a bad day at the office," Gauff said of her performance in Qatar. "I'm not going to let it define how the rest of this week will go."

Two former world No.1s booked their spots in the Dubai second round on Monday.

Victoria Azarenka eased past Arantxa Rus 6-2, 6-4 and Karolina Pliskova improved her record against Chinese wildcard Zhang Shuai to a perfect 9-0 with a 6-3, 7-5 victory.

US Open champion Coco Gauff said on Monday that tennis can follow basketball's example and have men facing women in specialised contests such as Serena Williams and Australian Nick Kyrgios in serve targets.

US Open champion Coco Gauff said on Monday that tennis can follow basketball's example and have men facing women in specialised contests such as Serena Williams and Australian Nick Kyrgios in serve targets. Gauff was speaking after Stephen Curry sank his last four shots from the right corner to defeat Sabrina Ionescu 29-26 in a 3-point NBA-Women's NBA Challenge on Saturday at NBA All-Star weekend. The first-ever shootout of the sexes was a groundbreaking showdown between elite guards -- Golden State's Curry, the NBA's all-time 3-point basket leader, and WNBA single-season 3-point record holder Ionescu of the New York Liberty. Both players shot from the NBA three-point line, which is farther away from the basket than the WNBA three-point line. Speaking to reporters in Dubai, where she is competing in the WTA tournament, Gauff was asked what skills challenge, akin to the ones featured at the weekend, would work in tennis. The 19-year-old American said she would love to see Serena Williams and Nick Kyrgios go toe-to-toe in a serve targets contest. ALSO READ: Boxing: Manny Pacquiao accepts fate as IOC denies him spot at 2024 Paris Games "There's also like the dropshot one," she said. "Ons (Jabeur) and Carlos (Alcaraz) would be a cool matchup against that. There could be maybe a consistency challenge." Gauff hailed Ionescu's efforts against Curry. "I think the Sabrina and Steph competition was great," said Gauff. "I think most people were rooting for Sabrina. What she did was incredible, especially also shooting from the NBA line." "Steph is definitely the greatest three-point shooter ever." Gauff said she would hope the man against woman shootout is not a one-off. "I just hope they continue to do this," she said. "It just humbles a lot of men in the world. I really like that. "Especially basketball, that type of competition, it's something physicality doesn't always matter. "I think that's what makes it cool." Gauff is seeded number three this week and will open her campaign against Italian lucky loser Elisabetta Cocciaretto on Tuesday. The American is coming off an early exit in Doha. She will be looking to recapture the form that saw her start the season with a title in Auckland and reach the Australian Open semi-finals where she lost to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka. "It was just a bad day at the office," Gauff said of her performance in Qatar. "I'm not going to let it define how the rest of this week will go." Two former world No.1s booked their spots in the Dubai second round on Monday. Victoria Azarenka eased past Arantxa Rus 6-2, 6-4 and Karolina Pliskova improved her record against Chinese wildcard Zhang Shuai to a perfect 9-0 with a 6-3, 7-5 victory.

Coco Gauff urges tennis to follow basketball in male vs female duels

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka beat 19-year-old Coco Gauff in straight sets to enter the 2024 Australia Open final. Sabalenka won 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 on Thursday (Jan 25) in the first semifinal of women's singles in Melbourne. She'll face the winner of the match between Dayana Yastremska and Qinwen Zheng on Saturday (Jan 27) in the last game&nbsp;of her title defence. The Belarussian is the first woman to make it to the back-to-back Australian Open finals since legendary Serena Williams did it in 2016 and 2017.&nbsp;

Sabalenka will also have the chance to become the first women's player to successfully defend her title at Melbourne Park since Victoria Azarenka in 2013.&nbsp;

As for the match, Sabalenka said that she was prepared for the fight and ready for anything. Notably, Gauff had beaten Sabalenka for the US Open title in 2023.&nbsp;

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"I was able to focus on myself. I was prepared that she was going to move well and put all the balls back and I was just ready for anything," the Belarussian said.

"That was the key, and the support here."

"It's always a great fight (against Gauff). She's a great player and I enjoy playing her," she added. "I really hope that in the future we are going to play many more finals," she added.&nbsp;

Gauff was clearly off colours on Thursday as she made eight double faults against Sabalenka's two. The American teen prodigy also managed only 57 percent first serve against her opponent's 76 percent. Although, the win percent on the first serve was almost equal for both players, 65 percent for Gauff and 71 for Sabalenka.

The American, however, lagged behind in point won as she managed 68 in 10 games against Sabalenka's 82 in 13 games. The Belarussian also edged Gauff on break points, winning four against the American's three.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka beat 19-year-old Coco Gauff in straight sets to enter the 2024 Australia Open final. Sabalenka won 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 on Thursday (Jan 25) in the first semifinal of women's singles in Melbourne.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka beat 19-year-old Coco Gauff in straight sets to enter the 2024 Australia Open final. Sabalenka won 7-6 (7-2), 6-4 on Thursday (Jan 25) in the first semifinal of women's singles in Melbourne. She'll face the winner of the match between Dayana Yastremska and Qinwen Zheng on Saturday (Jan 27) in the last game of her title defence. The Belarussian is the first woman to make it to the back-to-back Australian Open finals since legendary Serena Williams did it in 2016 and 2017. Sabalenka will also have the chance to become the first women's player to successfully defend her title at Melbourne Park since Victoria Azarenka in 2013. As for the match, Sabalenka said that she was prepared for the fight and ready for anything. Notably, Gauff had beaten Sabalenka for the US Open title in 2023. Also Read: Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz crashes out after one-sided defeat to Alexander Zverev "I was able to focus on myself. I was prepared that she was going to move well and put all the balls back and I was just ready for anything," the Belarussian said. "That was the key, and the support here." "It's always a great fight (against Gauff). She's a great player and I enjoy playing her," she added. "I really hope that in the future we are going to play many more finals," she added. Gauff was clearly off colours on Thursday as she made eight double faults against Sabalenka's two. The American teen prodigy also managed only 57 percent first serve against her opponent's 76 percent. Although, the win percent on the first serve was almost equal for both players, 65 percent for Gauff and 71 for Sabalenka. The American, however, lagged behind in point won as she managed 68 in 10 games against Sabalenka's 82 in 13 games. The Belarussian also edged Gauff on break points, winning four against the American's three.

Australian Open: Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka enters women's singles final with win over Coco Gauff

US Open champion Coco Gauff overcame huge resistance from the unseeded Marta Kostyuk Tuesday to move into her first Australian Open semi-final. The American fourth seed wore down the Ukrainian in hot conditions on Rod Laver Arena to clinch a scrappy encounter 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (3/7), 6-2 in three hours and eight minutes.

She will face either defending champion and second seed Aryna Sabalenka or ninth-seeded Barbora Krejcikova&nbsp;on Thursday for a place in the final. After showing ominous form to race into the last eight, it was a far from convincing display by the 19-year-old, who struggled on serve and fluffed countless opportunities.&nbsp;

"Happy, really proud of the fight I showed today," said Gauff, who had never progressed beyond the fourth round at Melbourne Park in four previous attempts. "Marta is a tough opponent... I really fought and left it all on the court today."

The low standard came from both players, with an incredible 16 service breaks throughout the match and the pair racking up 107 unforced errors between them. Kostyuk will rue missing her chances, letting slip a 5-1 lead and squandering set points in the first set.&nbsp;

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The American also faltered at crunch moments, broken when serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set before keeping her cool as Kostyuk became more agitated in the deciding set.&nbsp;

"I was just trying to get one more game in the first set and at least make it competitive and then one game turned to another and I was able to win that set," she said. "In the second, I gave myself opportunities but became a little bit passive and when I came out in the third I was just trying to play aggressive and hit through the court."

The win extended Gauff's unbeaten streak this year to 10 matches after she won at Auckland in the lead up. She is into the semi-finals without facing a seed after a string of top names crashed out of the tournament early.

US Open champion Coco Gauff overcame huge resistance from the unseeded Marta Kostyuk Tuesday to move into her first Australian Open semi-final. The American fourth seed wore down the Ukrainian in hot conditions on Rod Laver Arena to clinch a scrappy encounter 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (3/7), 6-2 in three hours and eight minutes.

US Open champion Coco Gauff overcame huge resistance from the unseeded Marta Kostyuk Tuesday to move into her first Australian Open semi-final. The American fourth seed wore down the Ukrainian in hot conditions on Rod Laver Arena to clinch a scrappy encounter 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (3/7), 6-2 in three hours and eight minutes. She will face either defending champion and second seed Aryna Sabalenka or ninth-seeded Barbora Krejcikova on Thursday for a place in the final. After showing ominous form to race into the last eight, it was a far from convincing display by the 19-year-old, who struggled on serve and fluffed countless opportunities. "Happy, really proud of the fight I showed today," said Gauff, who had never progressed beyond the fourth round at Melbourne Park in four previous attempts. "Marta is a tough opponent... I really fought and left it all on the court today." The low standard came from both players, with an incredible 16 service breaks throughout the match and the pair racking up 107 unforced errors between them. Kostyuk will rue missing her chances, letting slip a 5-1 lead and squandering set points in the first set. Also read: Golf: Rising amateur star Nick Dunlap mulls future after PGA Tour win The American also faltered at crunch moments, broken when serving for the match at 5-4 in the second set before keeping her cool as Kostyuk became more agitated in the deciding set. "I was just trying to get one more game in the first set and at least make it competitive and then one game turned to another and I was able to win that set," she said. "In the second, I gave myself opportunities but became a little bit passive and when I came out in the third I was just trying to play aggressive and hit through the court." The win extended Gauff's unbeaten streak this year to 10 matches after she won at Auckland in the lead up. She is into the semi-finals without facing a seed after a string of top names crashed out of the tournament early.

Coco Gauff grinds past unseeded Marta Kostyuk into Australian Open semifinals

Defending champion Aryna&nbsp;Sabalenka&nbsp;pummelled her second straight teenage qualifier into submission Wednesday to ease into the Australian Open third round.

The powerful Belarusian second seed was not at her vintage best on Rod Laver Arena, but still did enough against 16-year-old Brenda Fruhvirtova, romping home 6-3, 6-2.

Sabalenka&nbsp;has yet to be seriously tested as she bids to become the first woman to successfully defend her Melbourne title since Victoria Azarenka in 2013.

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Her first-round opponent, Ella Seidel, was also a qualifier and lasted just 53 minutes, with the world number two dropping just one game.

The Czech Republic's Fruhvirtova put up a sterner fight, keeping the 25-year-old on court for 67 minutes before being overwhelmed.

"For someone 16 years old she is doing an incredible job. I mean, I wish I was on her level when I was 16," said&nbsp;Sabalenka. "She is an unbelievable player. She'll be at the top very soon."

"I'm super-happy with the win," she added. "I just tried to focus on myself and not anything else, and just tried to fight for every point."

The odds were always stacked against Fruhvirtova, who has never beaten a top 10 player and is ranked more than 100 places below her opponent.

In only her third Grand Slam main draw, she tested&nbsp;Sabalenka&nbsp;on her opening serve, earning a break point, but it was fended off and the Belarusian responded by breaking the Czech at her first opportunity.

The gutsy teen was undaunted and with&nbsp;Sabalenka's serve misfiring, she earned three more break points in the next game and this time grabbed the opportunity with a forehand down the line.

But the second seed regrouped and kept pressing, earning another break for 5-3 and served out for the set.

Fruhvirtova was broken again immediately in the second set as&nbsp;Sabalenka&nbsp;began imposing herself and there was no way back as the Grand Slam champion settled into her groove.

Sabalenka&nbsp;enjoyed a breakthrough 2023. As well as winning the Australian Open she also made the semi-finals in Paris and at Wimbledon before losing to Coco Gauff in the final of the US Open.

She will next face Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko or Spain's Rebeka Masarova.

<h2>Gauff marches on</h2>

US Open champion Coco&nbsp;Gauff&nbsp;eased through to the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday, beating fellow American Caroline Dolehide 7-6 (7/2), 6-2.

The fourth seed raced into a 4-1 lead on Margaret Court Arena before being reeled back by her unseeded opponent.

However,&nbsp;Gauff&nbsp;was relatively untroubled in the tie-break, winning it 7-2.

The second set went with serve until the fifth game, when&nbsp;Gauff&nbsp;broke. She repeated the feat and survived multiple break points on her serve to clinch the match.

"I wasn't nervous today, I was just trying to play good tennis," said&nbsp;Gauff, 19.&nbsp;

"If you give her something short, she's going to punish you for it. So I think if I could go back, I would try to play more deeper, more heavy like I did in the second (set)."

She will play another American, Alycia Parks, in the third round.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka pummelled her second straight teenage qualifier into submission Wednesday to ease into the Australian Open third round. The powerful Belarusian second seed was not at her vintage best on Rod Laver Arena, but still did enough against 16-year-old Brenda Fruhvirtova, romping home 6-3, 6-2.

Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka pummelled her second straight teenage qualifier into submission Wednesday to ease into the Australian Open third round. The powerful Belarusian second seed was not at her vintage best on Rod Laver Arena, but still did enough against 16-year-old Brenda Fruhvirtova, romping home 6-3, 6-2. Sabalenka has yet to be seriously tested as she bids to become the first woman to successfully defend her Melbourne title since Victoria Azarenka in 2013. Also Read: Australian Open 2024 - Another champion mum exits as Caroline Wozniacki bows out Her first-round opponent, Ella Seidel, was also a qualifier and lasted just 53 minutes, with the world number two dropping just one game. The Czech Republic's Fruhvirtova put up a sterner fight, keeping the 25-year-old on court for 67 minutes before being overwhelmed. "For someone 16 years old she is doing an incredible job. I mean, I wish I was on her level when I was 16," said Sabalenka. "She is an unbelievable player. She'll be at the top very soon." "I'm super-happy with the win," she added. "I just tried to focus on myself and not anything else, and just tried to fight for every point." The odds were always stacked against Fruhvirtova, who has never beaten a top 10 player and is ranked more than 100 places below her opponent. In only her third Grand Slam main draw, she tested Sabalenka on her opening serve, earning a break point, but it was fended off and the Belarusian responded by breaking the Czech at her first opportunity. The gutsy teen was undaunted and with Sabalenka's serve misfiring, she earned three more break points in the next game and this time grabbed the opportunity with a forehand down the line. But the second seed regrouped and kept pressing, earning another break for 5-3 and served out for the set. Fruhvirtova was broken again immediately in the second set as Sabalenka began imposing herself and there was no way back as the Grand Slam champion settled into her groove. Sabalenka enjoyed a breakthrough 2023. As well as winning the Australian Open she also made the semi-finals in Paris and at Wimbledon before losing to Coco Gauff in the final of the US Open. She will next face Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko or Spain's Rebeka Masarova. Gauff marches on US Open champion Coco Gauff eased through to the third round of the Australian Open on Wednesday, beating fellow American Caroline Dolehide 7-6 (7/2), 6-2. The fourth seed raced into a 4-1 lead on Margaret Court Arena before being reeled back by her unseeded opponent. However, Gauff was relatively untroubled in the tie-break, winning it 7-2. The second set went with serve until the fifth game, when Gauff broke. She repeated the feat and survived multiple break points on her serve to clinch the match. "I wasn't nervous today, I was just trying to play good tennis," said Gauff, 19. "If you give her something short, she's going to punish you for it. So I think if I could go back, I would try to play more deeper, more heavy like I did in the second (set)." She will play another American, Alycia Parks, in the third round.

Australian Open: Defending champion Aryna Sabalenka; Coco Gauff enter third round

Fourth seed Coco Gauff made a slightly wobbly start to her Australian Open campaign on Monday before the American found her rhythm to defeat Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-3 6-0 and reach the second round. Gauff, the newest member of the Grand Slam champions club after her U.S. Open success last September, traded breaks freely with Schmiedlova after her opening service game and came up with a late hold to wrap up the first set.

The 19-year-old stepped up a gear in the next set as Schmiedlova continued to struggle on serve and raced ahead 3-0 with a superb cross-court winner from the deep to draw loud cheers from fans on Rod Laver Arena.

Gauff was barely troubled from there as she served out the match, finishing it off with a neat backhand winner to set up a meeting with fellow American Caroline Dolehide in the next round.

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<h2 data-label="Package" data-qa-component="item-headline" dir="auto" title="Tennis-Seventh seed Vondrousova sent packing by Yastremska at Australian Open">Seventh seed Marketa Vondrousova ousted</h2>

Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova crashed to a stunning defeat in the opening round of the Australian Open on Monday as Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska outclassed her 6-1 6-2. Seventh seed Vondrousova, who arrived in Melbourne after a hip issue forced her to withdraw from the warm-up tournament in Adelaide, quickly found herself 5-0 down in the opening set as Yastremska sensed an opportunity for a big upset.

The 24-year-old Czech, who became the first unseeded woman to claim the All England title last year, got on the scoreboard late in the first set but the powerful Yastremska had built up far too much momentum and wrapped it up in style.

Yastremska, the world number 93 who reached the third round at Melbourne Park in 2019, secured the early break in the second set as her opponent continued to spray the errors and the 23-year-old held firm to seal the victory.

Fourth seed Coco Gauff made a slightly wobbly start to her Australian Open campaign on Monday before the American found her rhythm to defeat Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-3 6-0 and reach the second round.

Fourth seed Coco Gauff made a slightly wobbly start to her Australian Open campaign on Monday before the American found her rhythm to defeat Slovakia's Anna Karolina Schmiedlova 6-3 6-0 and reach the second round. Gauff, the newest member of the Grand Slam champions club after her U.S. Open success last September, traded breaks freely with Schmiedlova after her opening service game and came up with a late hold to wrap up the first set. The 19-year-old stepped up a gear in the next set as Schmiedlova continued to struggle on serve and raced ahead 3-0 with a superb cross-court winner from the deep to draw loud cheers from fans on Rod Laver Arena. Gauff was barely troubled from there as she served out the match, finishing it off with a neat backhand winner to set up a meeting with fellow American Caroline Dolehide in the next round. Also read: Australian Open 2024: Novak Djokovic begins title defence with first-round win over teenager Dino Prizmic Seventh seed Marketa Vondrousova ousted Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova crashed to a stunning defeat in the opening round of the Australian Open on Monday as Ukrainian qualifier Dayana Yastremska outclassed her 6-1 6-2. Seventh seed Vondrousova, who arrived in Melbourne after a hip issue forced her to withdraw from the warm-up tournament in Adelaide, quickly found herself 5-0 down in the opening set as Yastremska sensed an opportunity for a big upset. The 24-year-old Czech, who became the first unseeded woman to claim the All England title last year, got on the scoreboard late in the first set but the powerful Yastremska had built up far too much momentum and wrapped it up in style. Yastremska, the world number 93 who reached the third round at Melbourne Park in 2019, secured the early break in the second set as her opponent continued to spray the errors and the 23-year-old held firm to seal the victory.

Aus Open: Gauff shakes off service woes to down Schmiedlova, Wimbledon champion Vondrousova crashes out

Coco Gauff swept aside Varvara Gracheva 6-1 6-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Auckland Classic on Friday as the U.S. Open champion continued her impressive buildup to the first Grand Slam of the year at Melbourne Park.

Rain delayed the start of the match but once play began Gauff needed only 53 minutes to see off her French rival. The 19-year-old has not dropped a set in her title defence and did not face a single break point on Friday.

The world number three raced through the opening set and took a 4-0 lead in the second before Gracheva held serve, and with dark clouds gathering once again Gauff was quick to wrap up a victory which pits her against Emma Navarro in an all-American semi-final.

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"I was focusing on playing my game," Gauff said. "I thought I served really well, probably the best so far in the tournament, which is something I've been working on off-season. I'm really happy with how I played.

"I'm glad I was able to finish my match (before it could rain)."

At the Brisbane International, another warm-up tournament (for the January 14-28 Australian Open), Victoria Azarenka beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-3 3-6 7-5 to make the last four.

"With Jelena sometimes you just have to put on a helmet and try to stay in there," said Azarenka, who next faces Aryna Sabalenka or Daria Kasatkina. "But she's an incredible player, we've seen that many times. She's a Grand Slam champion, she proved many times that she can beat anyone on any given day."

In the men's section, Rafa Nadal, playing his first tournament after a lengthy injury layoff, will take on Australian Jordan Thompson later in the day for a place in the last four.

Coco Gauff swept aside Varvara Gracheva 6-1 6-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Auckland Classic on Friday as the U.S. Open champion continued her impressive buildup to the first Grand Slam of the year at Melbourne Park.

Coco Gauff swept aside Varvara Gracheva 6-1 6-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Auckland Classic on Friday as the U.S. Open champion continued her impressive buildup to the first Grand Slam of the year at Melbourne Park. Rain delayed the start of the match but once play began Gauff needed only 53 minutes to see off her French rival. The 19-year-old has not dropped a set in her title defence and did not face a single break point on Friday. The world number three raced through the opening set and took a 4-0 lead in the second before Gracheva held serve, and with dark clouds gathering once again Gauff was quick to wrap up a victory which pits her against Emma Navarro in an all-American semi-final. ALSO READ: La Liga: Ilkay Gundogan's stoppage-time penalty sees Barcelona through in tight clash at Las Palmas "I was focusing on playing my game," Gauff said. "I thought I served really well, probably the best so far in the tournament, which is something I've been working on off-season. I'm really happy with how I played. "I'm glad I was able to finish my match (before it could rain)." At the Brisbane International, another warm-up tournament (for the January 14-28 Australian Open), Victoria Azarenka beat Jelena Ostapenko 6-3 3-6 7-5 to make the last four. "With Jelena sometimes you just have to put on a helmet and try to stay in there," said Azarenka, who next faces Aryna Sabalenka or Daria Kasatkina. "But she's an incredible player, we've seen that many times. She's a Grand Slam champion, she proved many times that she can beat anyone on any given day." In the men's section, Rafa Nadal, playing his first tournament after a lengthy injury layoff, will take on Australian Jordan Thompson later in the day for a place in the last four.

Coco Gauff crush Varvara Gracheva in straight sets to reach Auckland Classic semis

Coco Gauff racked up the longest winning streak on the WTA Tour this season by beating Veronika Kudermetova 7-6(5) 6-2 in the third round of the China Open on Thursday for her 15th consecutive victory. Gauff's last defeat was in the quarter-finals in Montreal following her Washington triumph and the 19-year-old has been an unstoppable force ever since, winning the Cincinnati title and her maiden Grand Slam crown at her home U.S. Open.

The world number three outclassed Ekaterina Alexandrova in her Beijing opener and battled past Petra Martic. She produced a determined display in the first set against Kudermetova to lay the platform for a second career win over the Tokyo champion. "I'm really happy with how I've been able to manage. I had trouble finding the way I wanted to play in these conditions. I felt like the balls were flying in the first match and playing passive in the second," Gauff said.

"I'm really happy with how I've been able to troubleshoot and problem-solve. Today I played a good match overall." Gauff next meets sixth seed Maria Sakkari in what would be a rematch of their title clash in Washington.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rugby-world-cup-italy-number-eight-cannone-fancies-clash-against-familiar-france-642940">Rugby World Cup: Italy number eight Cannone fancies clash against familiar France</a>

Sakkari got past local favourite Wang Xinyu 6-4 2-6 6-3. "I think she's probably one of the most athletic players on tour so it's going to be tough," Gauff said. Earlier, former champion Caroline Garcia sealed a 6-3 6-2 victory over Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina to book a quarter-final clash with second seed Iga Swiatek.

Frenchwoman Garcia, who is ranked 10th in the world but a further 10 places back in the race to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals which she won in 2022, has enjoyed a steady run of form in the last few weeks. Garcia reached the quarter-finals in San Diego and Tokyo with a Guadalajara semi-final appearance in between.

World number one Aryna Sabalenka later overcame a spirited Jasmine Paolini 6-4 7-6(4) to set up a blockbuster meeting with former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina. Sabalenka has a 4-1 record against the Kazakh, most notably defeating her in the Australian Open final, before losing their latest meeting in the Indian Wells title clash. "I'll go out there tomorrow and do my best to get this win," Sabalenka said.

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Coco Gauff racked up the longest winning streak on the WTA Tour this season by beating Veronika Kudermetova 7-6(5) 6-2 in the third round of the China Open on Thursday for her 15th consecutive victory.

Coco Gauff racked up the longest winning streak on the WTA Tour this season by beating Veronika Kudermetova 7-6(5) 6-2 in the third round of the China Open on Thursday for her 15th consecutive victory. Gauff's last defeat was in the quarter-finals in Montreal following her Washington triumph and the 19-year-old has been an unstoppable force ever since, winning the Cincinnati title and her maiden Grand Slam crown at her home U.S. Open. The world number three outclassed Ekaterina Alexandrova in her Beijing opener and battled past Petra Martic. She produced a determined display in the first set against Kudermetova to lay the platform for a second career win over the Tokyo champion. "I'm really happy with how I've been able to manage. I had trouble finding the way I wanted to play in these conditions. I felt like the balls were flying in the first match and playing passive in the second," Gauff said. "I'm really happy with how I've been able to troubleshoot and problem-solve. Today I played a good match overall." Gauff next meets sixth seed Maria Sakkari in what would be a rematch of their title clash in Washington. Also read: Rugby World Cup: Italy number eight Cannone fancies clash against familiar France Sakkari got past local favourite Wang Xinyu 6-4 2-6 6-3. "I think she's probably one of the most athletic players on tour so it's going to be tough," Gauff said. Earlier, former champion Caroline Garcia sealed a 6-3 6-2 victory over Ukraine's Anhelina Kalinina to book a quarter-final clash with second seed Iga Swiatek. Frenchwoman Garcia, who is ranked 10th in the world but a further 10 places back in the race to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals which she won in 2022, has enjoyed a steady run of form in the last few weeks. Garcia reached the quarter-finals in San Diego and Tokyo with a Guadalajara semi-final appearance in between. World number one Aryna Sabalenka later overcame a spirited Jasmine Paolini 6-4 7-6(4) to set up a blockbuster meeting with former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina. Sabalenka has a 4-1 record against the Kazakh, most notably defeating her in the Australian Open final, before losing their latest meeting in the Indian Wells title clash. "I'll go out there tomorrow and do my best to get this win," Sabalenka said. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Unstoppable Coco Gauff extends winning streak to reach Beijing quarter-finals

American teenager Coco Gauff came from behind to win the US Open on Saturday, clinching her first Grand Slam title with a battling win over Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

Gauff, 19, produced a gutsy performance on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court to win 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in 2hr 6min to complete a fairytale transformation in her season's fortunes.

The sixth seed from Florida&nbsp;had gone into the final as the underdog against the hard-hitting second seed Sabalenka, who will become world number one in next week's rankings.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-novak-djokovic-chases-record-equalling-24th-grand-slam-title-in-us-open-final-634248">Novak Djokovic chases record-equalling 24th grand slam title in US Open final</a>

But with both players making a slew of mistakes throughout an error-strewn final watched by a star-studded record crowd of 28,143 it was Gauff who held her nerve when it mattered to seal a deserved victory.

The win completed a remarkable turnaround for Gauff, who was left distraught after a first round exit at Wimbledon in July.

However she bounced back to win titles in Washington and Cincinnati and has now landed the biggest win of her career, after a shattering loss in her first Grand Slam final at the French Open last year.

"It means so much to me," an elated Gauff said afterwards. "I feel like I'm a little bit in shock in this moment.

"That French Open loss (last year) was a heartbreak for me. This makes this moment even sweeter than I could imagine."

Gauff, the third American teenager to win the US Open after Tracy Austin and Serena Williams, also used her victory speech to thank those who doubted her talent.

"Honestly thank you to the people who didn't believe in me," she joked.&nbsp;

"To those who thought they were putting water on my fire, they were putting gas on my fire and I'm burning so bright right now."

Sabalenka meanwhile blamed self-inflicted errors for her defeat, saying at times she was playing "me against me."

"She was moving just unbelievable today," Sabalenka said of Gauff. "But then the second set I start probably overthinking, and because of that I start kind of like losing my power.

"Then she start moving better. I start missing a lot of easy shots."

<h2>First set struggle</h2>

Gauff was in trouble in the opening game, Sabalenka breaking her straight away with a rasping backhand that drew a roar of "Come On!" from the Belarusian.

She held easily to take a 2-0 lead but Gauff then took advantage of a shaky service game from Sabalenka to break at 2-2 in the fourth.

The Belarusian double-faulted twice to allow Gauff to get back on level terms.

But that hard-won parity was surrendered in the next game as Sabalenka broke back to go 3-2 ahead.

Australian Open champion Sabalenka then wobbled on her own serve once more as Gauff eked out two break points in the sixth game.

But Sabalenka got it back to deuce with an ace and then took a 4-2 lead with an emphatic smash.

Gauff's problems on serve continued and Sabalenka broke for the third time to race 5-2 ahead, and she duly wrapped up the set by holding in the next game.

Yet with the match threatening to become a rout, Gauff finally clicked into gear in the second set, making fewer unforced errors and ironing out the kinks in her serve.

Instead it was Sabalenka who began to show signs of brittleness as the tension mounted. She double-faulted to hand Gauff the only break of the set and a 3-1 lead.

Gauff fended off a break point in the next game to hold for 4-1 and went on to hold for the remainder of the set to level the match when Sabalenka smacked a forehand long.

The momentum remained firmly with Gauff in the final set and she secured another crucial break in the opening game when she put away an underhit Sabalenka lob with a smash.

Gauff then held easily for a 2-0 lead as Sabalenka struggled to regain any semblance of composure.

She coughed up four unforced errors to gift Gauff a break and a 3-0 lead, and the American then held with ease to go 4-0 up.

Sabalenka stopped the rot by holding serve in the fifth game, before taking a medical timeout to receive treatment on her left thigh.

Gauff was in no mood to let her grip on the match slip though.&nbsp;

Although Sabalenka held and broke Gauff to cut the lead to 4-2, Gauff hit back when Sabalenka double-faulted to present a break point.

Gauff cashed in to break and grab a 5-2 lead and then swept to victory in the next game, holding to love with a backhand winner.

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American teenager Coco Gauff came from behind to win the US Open on Saturday, clinching her first Grand Slam title with a battling win over Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.

American teenager Coco Gauff came from behind to win the US Open on Saturday, clinching her first Grand Slam title with a battling win over Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus. Gauff, 19, produced a gutsy performance on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court to win 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 in 2hr 6min to complete a fairytale transformation in her season's fortunes. The sixth seed from Florida had gone into the final as the underdog against the hard-hitting second seed Sabalenka, who will become world number one in next week's rankings. Also Read: Novak Djokovic chases record-equalling 24th grand slam title in US Open final But with both players making a slew of mistakes throughout an error-strewn final watched by a star-studded record crowd of 28,143 it was Gauff who held her nerve when it mattered to seal a deserved victory. The win completed a remarkable turnaround for Gauff, who was left distraught after a first round exit at Wimbledon in July. However she bounced back to win titles in Washington and Cincinnati and has now landed the biggest win of her career, after a shattering loss in her first Grand Slam final at the French Open last year. "It means so much to me," an elated Gauff said afterwards. "I feel like I'm a little bit in shock in this moment. "That French Open loss (last year) was a heartbreak for me. This makes this moment even sweeter than I could imagine." Gauff, the third American teenager to win the US Open after Tracy Austin and Serena Williams, also used her victory speech to thank those who doubted her talent. "Honestly thank you to the people who didn't believe in me," she joked. "To those who thought they were putting water on my fire, they were putting gas on my fire and I'm burning so bright right now." Sabalenka meanwhile blamed self-inflicted errors for her defeat, saying at times she was playing "me against me." "She was moving just unbelievable today," Sabalenka said of Gauff. "But then the second set I start probably overthinking, and because of that I start kind of like losing my power. "Then she start moving better. I start missing a lot of easy shots." First set struggle Gauff was in trouble in the opening game, Sabalenka breaking her straight away with a rasping backhand that drew a roar of "Come On!" from the Belarusian. She held easily to take a 2-0 lead but Gauff then took advantage of a shaky service game from Sabalenka to break at 2-2 in the fourth. The Belarusian double-faulted twice to allow Gauff to get back on level terms. But that hard-won parity was surrendered in the next game as Sabalenka broke back to go 3-2 ahead. Australian Open champion Sabalenka then wobbled on her own serve once more as Gauff eked out two break points in the sixth game. But Sabalenka got it back to deuce with an ace and then took a 4-2 lead with an emphatic smash. Gauff's problems on serve continued and Sabalenka broke for the third time to race 5-2 ahead, and she duly wrapped up the set by holding in the next game. Yet with the match threatening to become a rout, Gauff finally clicked into gear in the second set, making fewer unforced errors and ironing out the kinks in her serve. Instead it was Sabalenka who began to show signs of brittleness as the tension mounted. She double-faulted to hand Gauff the only break of the set and a 3-1 lead. Gauff fended off a break point in the next game to hold for 4-1 and went on to hold for the remainder of the set to level the match when Sabalenka smacked a forehand long. The momentum remained firmly with Gauff in the final set and she secured another crucial break in the opening game when she put away an underhit Sabalenka lob with a smash. Gauff then held easily for a 2-0 lead as Sabalenka struggled to regain any semblance of composure. She coughed up four unforced errors to gift Gauff a break and a 3-0 lead, and the American then held with ease to go 4-0 up. Sabalenka stopped the rot by holding serve in the fifth game, before taking a medical timeout to receive treatment on her left thigh. Gauff was in no mood to let her grip on the match slip though. Although Sabalenka held and broke Gauff to cut the lead to 4-2, Gauff hit back when Sabalenka double-faulted to present a break point. Gauff cashed in to break and grab a 5-2 lead and then swept to victory in the next game, holding to love with a backhand winner. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Coco Gauff wins US Open for maiden grand slam title

American Coco Gauff beat Karolina Muchova 6-4 7-5 to reach her first U.S. Open final on Thursday after the match was halted for nearly an hour when an environmental activist glued his feet to the floor of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Gauff, who had beaten Muchova in the Cincinnati final last month to claim the biggest title of her career, fed off the energy of the home crowd to get past the Czech once again.

"Some of those points, it was so loud and I don't know if my ears are going to be okay," Gauff said. "I grew up watching this tournament so much so it means a lot to me to be in the final. A lot to celebrate but the job is not done."

Gauff, the sixth seed, will next face the winner of the other semi-final between compatriot Madison Keys and Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka.

The match was delayed by roughly 50 minutes early in the second set due to a protest by four spectators. The USTA said three of the four were escorted out of the stadium without incident but a fourth "affixed their bare feet to the floor of the seating bowl".

Gauff swept the first three games of the opening set and broke her opponent again in the sixth.

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Muchova, this year's Roland Garros runner-up, capitalized on some mistakes by the 19-year-old and broke straight back in the seventh, raising her level from there to break Gauff again in the ninth.

The Czech's good work went to waste, however, as she committed a trio of unforced errors in the 10th game, allowing Gauff to break to love and take the set.

After a routine hold by Gauff to open the second set, shouts were heard from high up in the stands and both players sat on their benches as security staff members quickly moved to quell the disruption.

As the delay stretched on both players left the court as police officers surrounded the remaining protester before removing him from the venue with his hands behind his back.

After the players returned they warmed up again on court before resuming play, neither appearing rattled by the incident.

Muchova double-faulted to help Gauff break in the eighth game but saved match point in the next game before breaking the American’s serve to keep the match going.

Muchova saved four more match points in the 12th game but Gauff would not be denied, surviving a 40-shot rally on the penultimate point with a forehand winner before cheering with delight as her opponent sent a backhand past the baseline on the sixth match point.

Muchova gave credit to her opponent but told reporters that she was disappointed in the quality of her own play on Thursday.

"I was not feeling it from the start until the end," she said. "I'm pretty sad about the outcome, that I didn't put the best out of me on the court. Yeah, just kind of sad about the performance."

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American Coco Gauff beat Karolina Muchova 6-4 7-5 to reach her first U.S. Open final on Thursday after the match was halted for nearly an hour when an environmental activist glued his feet to the floor of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

American Coco Gauff beat Karolina Muchova 6-4 7-5 to reach her first U.S. Open final on Thursday after the match was halted for nearly an hour when an environmental activist glued his feet to the floor of Arthur Ashe Stadium. Gauff, who had beaten Muchova in the Cincinnati final last month to claim the biggest title of her career, fed off the energy of the home crowd to get past the Czech once again. "Some of those points, it was so loud and I don't know if my ears are going to be okay," Gauff said. "I grew up watching this tournament so much so it means a lot to me to be in the final. A lot to celebrate but the job is not done." Gauff, the sixth seed, will next face the winner of the other semi-final between compatriot Madison Keys and Belarusian second seed Aryna Sabalenka. The match was delayed by roughly 50 minutes early in the second set due to a protest by four spectators. The USTA said three of the four were escorted out of the stadium without incident but a fourth "affixed their bare feet to the floor of the seating bowl". Gauff swept the first three games of the opening set and broke her opponent again in the sixth. ALSO READ: We changed football but rivalry is gone: Cristiano Ronaldo opens up on competition with Lionel Messi Muchova, this year's Roland Garros runner-up, capitalized on some mistakes by the 19-year-old and broke straight back in the seventh, raising her level from there to break Gauff again in the ninth. The Czech's good work went to waste, however, as she committed a trio of unforced errors in the 10th game, allowing Gauff to break to love and take the set. After a routine hold by Gauff to open the second set, shouts were heard from high up in the stands and both players sat on their benches as security staff members quickly moved to quell the disruption. As the delay stretched on both players left the court as police officers surrounded the remaining protester before removing him from the venue with his hands behind his back. After the players returned they warmed up again on court before resuming play, neither appearing rattled by the incident. Muchova double-faulted to help Gauff break in the eighth game but saved match point in the next game before breaking the American’s serve to keep the match going. Muchova saved four more match points in the 12th game but Gauff would not be denied, surviving a 40-shot rally on the penultimate point with a forehand winner before cheering with delight as her opponent sent a backhand past the baseline on the sixth match point. Muchova gave credit to her opponent but told reporters that she was disappointed in the quality of her own play on Thursday. "I was not feeling it from the start until the end," she said. "I'm pretty sad about the outcome, that I didn't put the best out of me on the court. Yeah, just kind of sad about the performance." WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Coco Gauff reaches maiden US Open final after environmental activists disrupt play

Coco Gauff said learning how to smile more often is behind her dazzling run at the US Open after she stormed into the semi-finals with a straight sets thrashing of Jelena Ostapenko on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old sixth seed became the first American teenager to reach the last four of the US Open since Serena Williams in 2001 after demolishing Latvia's Ostapenko 6-0, 6-2 in just 1hr 8min.

It was another polished performance that suggested Gauff is finally ready to land a breakthrough Grand Slam title, four years after she announced herself to the world with a magical run to the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2019.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-open-2023-djokovic-into-record-47th-grand-slam-semi-final-632726">Djokovic into record 47th Grand Slam semi-final</a>

Gauff's season has been transformed since she began working with veteran coach Brad Gilbert in July, weeks after she was left distraught by a first-round exit at Wimbledon.

Since Gilbert's arrival, Gauff has won titles in Washington and Cincinnati, where she also defeated outgoing world number one Iga Swiatek for the first time.

Gauff says one of the biggest changes Gilbert has made is to her mindset.

"I thought to play and win you have to be ultra serious and ultra focused, which is true, but also you still have to enjoy it," Gauff said after Tuesday's win.

"Honestly, the first meeting that I had with Brad before he started coaching with me, one of the first things he said is 'You need to smile more'. It wasn't really anything with my game or anything.

"I really took that, and when he said that I was a little bit surprised. I started to think and I was like, 'Yeah, I do.' That's something I'm trying to work on and continuing to do, and obviously I think it's helping my results."

Gauff meanwhile says she is flattered by comparisons to Serena Williams after matching the 23-time Grand Slam champion's feat in reaching the US Open last four as a teenager.

"I mean, being in any sentence with her is great. She's the greatest player of all time," she said. "I'm nothing close to that yet. I'm just really honored to be in the same sentence as her."

"She's my idol. I think if you told me when I was younger that I would be in these same stat lines as her, I would freak out."

Gauff will face either Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova or Romania's Sorana Cirstea in the last four on Thursday.

<h2>'Crazy' scheduling</h2>

On Tuesday's evidence, Gauff will head into the last four brimming with confidence after producing a superb display to overwhelm Ostapenko.

Ostapenko had produced the shock of the tournament in the last 16 on Sunday, ousting world number one and reigning women's champion Iga Swiatek in three sets.

But amid furnace-like heat on the Arthur Ashe Stadium, the inconsistent Latvian wilted in the face of a scorching performance from her American opponent.

Former French Open champion Ostapenko hit out at US Open scheduling after her defeat, stating she had not been given enough time to recover properly following her gruelling late-night victory over Swiatek on Sunday.

"I think it's really hard to recover from those night matches, because after beating world No.1, I went to sleep at 5 a.m.," Ostapenko said.&nbsp;

"You sleep for maybe like seven, eight hours, but you don't completely recover.&nbsp;

"I think it's a little bit crazy."

Gauff broke Ostapenko's serve three times in a lopsided first set which was over in 20 minutes, with the Latvian coughing 15 unforced errors to Gauff's two.

Ostapenko was soon in trouble in the second set, suffering a service break in the opening game when Gauff's sublime drop shot left the Latvian scrambling to the net.

However Ostapenko finally got on the board with a break of serve in the next game only to surrender that momentum in the next game when Gauff broke her for the fifth time for a 2-1 lead.

The next three games went with serve before Gauff turned the screw to break for a 5-2 lead that left the teenager serving for the match.

Although Ostapenko defiantly saved two match points, Gauff clinched victory with a forehand winner.

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Coco Gauff said learning how to smile more often is behind her dazzling run at the US Open after she stormed into the semi-finals with a straight sets thrashing of Jelena Ostapenko on Tuesday.

Coco Gauff said learning how to smile more often is behind her dazzling run at the US Open after she stormed into the semi-finals with a straight sets thrashing of Jelena Ostapenko on Tuesday. The 19-year-old sixth seed became the first American teenager to reach the last four of the US Open since Serena Williams in 2001 after demolishing Latvia's Ostapenko 6-0, 6-2 in just 1hr 8min. It was another polished performance that suggested Gauff is finally ready to land a breakthrough Grand Slam title, four years after she announced herself to the world with a magical run to the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2019. Also Read: Djokovic into record 47th Grand Slam semi-final Gauff's season has been transformed since she began working with veteran coach Brad Gilbert in July, weeks after she was left distraught by a first-round exit at Wimbledon. Since Gilbert's arrival, Gauff has won titles in Washington and Cincinnati, where she also defeated outgoing world number one Iga Swiatek for the first time. Gauff says one of the biggest changes Gilbert has made is to her mindset. "I thought to play and win you have to be ultra serious and ultra focused, which is true, but also you still have to enjoy it," Gauff said after Tuesday's win. "Honestly, the first meeting that I had with Brad before he started coaching with me, one of the first things he said is 'You need to smile more'. It wasn't really anything with my game or anything. "I really took that, and when he said that I was a little bit surprised. I started to think and I was like, 'Yeah, I do.' That's something I'm trying to work on and continuing to do, and obviously I think it's helping my results." Gauff meanwhile says she is flattered by comparisons to Serena Williams after matching the 23-time Grand Slam champion's feat in reaching the US Open last four as a teenager. "I mean, being in any sentence with her is great. She's the greatest player of all time," she said. "I'm nothing close to that yet. I'm just really honored to be in the same sentence as her." "She's my idol. I think if you told me when I was younger that I would be in these same stat lines as her, I would freak out." Gauff will face either Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova or Romania's Sorana Cirstea in the last four on Thursday. 'Crazy' scheduling On Tuesday's evidence, Gauff will head into the last four brimming with confidence after producing a superb display to overwhelm Ostapenko. Ostapenko had produced the shock of the tournament in the last 16 on Sunday, ousting world number one and reigning women's champion Iga Swiatek in three sets. But amid furnace-like heat on the Arthur Ashe Stadium, the inconsistent Latvian wilted in the face of a scorching performance from her American opponent. Former French Open champion Ostapenko hit out at US Open scheduling after her defeat, stating she had not been given enough time to recover properly following her gruelling late-night victory over Swiatek on Sunday. "I think it's really hard to recover from those night matches, because after beating world No.1, I went to sleep at 5 a.m.," Ostapenko said. "You sleep for maybe like seven, eight hours, but you don't completely recover. "I think it's a little bit crazy." Gauff broke Ostapenko's serve three times in a lopsided first set which was over in 20 minutes, with the Latvian coughing 15 unforced errors to Gauff's two. Ostapenko was soon in trouble in the second set, suffering a service break in the opening game when Gauff's sublime drop shot left the Latvian scrambling to the net. However Ostapenko finally got on the board with a break of serve in the next game only to surrender that momentum in the next game when Gauff broke her for the fifth time for a 2-1 lead. The next three games went with serve before Gauff turned the screw to break for a 5-2 lead that left the teenager serving for the match. Although Ostapenko defiantly saved two match points, Gauff clinched victory with a forehand winner. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Coco Gauff beats Jelena Ostapenko to enter US Open semi-finals

Novak Djokovic rolled into his 13th US Open quarter-final on Sunday after Coco Gauff ended Caroline Wozniacki's fairytale Grand Slam comeback to line up a potential blockbuster with defending champion Iga Swiatek.

Three-time US Open winner Djokovic cruised past 105th-ranked Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 to book a showdown with American No.1 Taylor Fritz in the last eight.

After recovering from two sets down in the previous round, Djokovic dictated from the outset against 25-year-old outsider Gojo who had won just one Grand Slam match prior to this week.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/pl-late-drama-unfolds-at-emirates-as-arsenal-stun-manchester-united-3-1-in-thriller-632037">PL: Late drama unfolds at Emirates as Arsenal stun Manchester United 3-1 in thriller</a>

Djokovic broke twice in the first set, the 23-time Grand Slam winner shaking off an early wobble in the second and procuring another break in the third to polish off Gojo without the drama of his preceding five-set victory over Laslo Djere.&nbsp;

"I knew that Borna has a big game, I don't think we ever faced each other on tour level to be honest," said Djokovic.

"He's a big shot player, serve and forehand, big weapons, moves pretty well for a big guy. The key to the match was to try and neutralise his serve. Just glad to get through in straight sets."

The 36-year-old Serbian star&nbsp;will on Tuesday look to continue his dominance of Fritz, a player he's beaten in all seven past meetings including a one-sided affair in Cincinnati last month.

"He's been playing some terrific tennis particularly on home soil here in the States," Djokovic said of Fritz.&nbsp;

"Obviously the matches are going to get tougher from here onwards and I'm ready. It's going to be great."

Fritz became the third American man to reach the quarter-finals Sunday after a straight-sets win over Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker.

The ninth seed knocked out world number 128 Stricker 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-4 to match his mother Kathy May's run to the 1978 US Open quarter-finals.

He joins compatriots Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton in the next round. It is the first time the US has had three men's quarter-finalists in New York since 2005.

Tiafoe, seeded 10th, advanced to an all-American quarter-final against 47th-ranked Shelton after defeating Australia's Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 6-1, 6-4.

The 25-year-old Tiafoe reached the semi-finals of the US Open last year where he lost in five sets to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz.

Meanwhile Shelton, 20, took down 14th-seeded compatriot Tommy Paul in four sets to reach his second Grand Slam quarter-final of the year.

He avenged his loss to Paul in the last eight of the Australian Open, winning 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to become the youngest American man to reach the US Open quarters since Andy Roddick in 2002.

<h2>Gauff eyes Swiatek showdown</h2>

Home favourite and sixth seed Gauff was taken to three sets for the third time in four rounds this week before edging out former world number one Wozniacki 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.

The 19-year-old could meet defending champion Swiatek in the last eight after Gauff picked up her 15th win in 16 matches, a run including titles in Washington and Cincinnati last month.

Gauff sparked into life after dropping the opening two games to pocket the opening set, but Wozniacki -- playing her first Grand Slam in over three years -- wound back the clock to level the match.

Two-time US Open runner-up Wozniacki broke to start the deciding set, triggering a ferocious response from Gauff who swept the final six games to close out a gutsy victory.

"Caroline is back, it's like she's never left," Gauff said of the 33-year-old Wozniacki, appearing in just her third tournament since returning to the sport last month.

"The level she played today was amazing, and she's been an inspiration for me growing up."

Wozniacki, who made her tour debut when Gauff was only one, retired after the 2020 Australian Open to start a family, giving birth to two children.&nbsp;

She was trying to emulate Kim Clijsters, who beat the Dane in the 2009 US Open final on her own return to Grand Slam tennis from maternity leave.

Later on Sunday, Swiatek takes on the dangerous Latvian Jelena Ostapenko in the evening session in a clash of French Open champions past and present.

World number one Swiatek is 0-3 against the unpredictable Ostapenko but this is their first meeting at a Grand Slam.

"With Jelena, it's a little bit like one day she can play a perfect match and just put everything in even though she's really risking, and the other day can be different," said Swiatek.

"You never know what to expect."

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Novak Djokovic rolled into his 13th US Open quarter-final on Sunday after Coco Gauff ended Caroline Wozniacki's fairytale Grand Slam comeback to line up a potential blockbuster with defending champion Iga Swiatek.

Novak Djokovic rolled into his 13th US Open quarter-final on Sunday after Coco Gauff ended Caroline Wozniacki's fairytale Grand Slam comeback to line up a potential blockbuster with defending champion Iga Swiatek. Three-time US Open winner Djokovic cruised past 105th-ranked Croatian qualifier Borna Gojo 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 to book a showdown with American No.1 Taylor Fritz in the last eight. After recovering from two sets down in the previous round, Djokovic dictated from the outset against 25-year-old outsider Gojo who had won just one Grand Slam match prior to this week. Also Read: PL: Late drama unfolds at Emirates as Arsenal stun Manchester United 3-1 in thriller Djokovic broke twice in the first set, the 23-time Grand Slam winner shaking off an early wobble in the second and procuring another break in the third to polish off Gojo without the drama of his preceding five-set victory over Laslo Djere. "I knew that Borna has a big game, I don't think we ever faced each other on tour level to be honest," said Djokovic. "He's a big shot player, serve and forehand, big weapons, moves pretty well for a big guy. The key to the match was to try and neutralise his serve. Just glad to get through in straight sets." The 36-year-old Serbian star will on Tuesday look to continue his dominance of Fritz, a player he's beaten in all seven past meetings including a one-sided affair in Cincinnati last month. "He's been playing some terrific tennis particularly on home soil here in the States," Djokovic said of Fritz. "Obviously the matches are going to get tougher from here onwards and I'm ready. It's going to be great." Fritz became the third American man to reach the quarter-finals Sunday after a straight-sets win over Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker. The ninth seed knocked out world number 128 Stricker 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-4 to match his mother Kathy May's run to the 1978 US Open quarter-finals. He joins compatriots Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton in the next round. It is the first time the US has had three men's quarter-finalists in New York since 2005. Tiafoe, seeded 10th, advanced to an all-American quarter-final against 47th-ranked Shelton after defeating Australia's Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 6-1, 6-4. The 25-year-old Tiafoe reached the semi-finals of the US Open last year where he lost in five sets to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz. Meanwhile Shelton, 20, took down 14th-seeded compatriot Tommy Paul in four sets to reach his second Grand Slam quarter-final of the year. He avenged his loss to Paul in the last eight of the Australian Open, winning 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 to become the youngest American man to reach the US Open quarters since Andy Roddick in 2002. Gauff eyes Swiatek showdown Home favourite and sixth seed Gauff was taken to three sets for the third time in four rounds this week before edging out former world number one Wozniacki 6-3, 3-6, 6-1. The 19-year-old could meet defending champion Swiatek in the last eight after Gauff picked up her 15th win in 16 matches, a run including titles in Washington and Cincinnati last month. Gauff sparked into life after dropping the opening two games to pocket the opening set, but Wozniacki -- playing her first Grand Slam in over three years -- wound back the clock to level the match. Two-time US Open runner-up Wozniacki broke to start the deciding set, triggering a ferocious response from Gauff who swept the final six games to close out a gutsy victory. "Caroline is back, it's like she's never left," Gauff said of the 33-year-old Wozniacki, appearing in just her third tournament since returning to the sport last month. "The level she played today was amazing, and she's been an inspiration for me growing up." Wozniacki, who made her tour debut when Gauff was only one, retired after the 2020 Australian Open to start a family, giving birth to two children. She was trying to emulate Kim Clijsters, who beat the Dane in the 2009 US Open final on her own return to Grand Slam tennis from maternity leave. Later on Sunday, Swiatek takes on the dangerous Latvian Jelena Ostapenko in the evening session in a clash of French Open champions past and present. World number one Swiatek is 0-3 against the unpredictable Ostapenko but this is their first meeting at a Grand Slam. "With Jelena, it's a little bit like one day she can play a perfect match and just put everything in even though she's really risking, and the other day can be different," said Swiatek. "You never know what to expect." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Tennis: Coco Gauff ends Wozniacki's dream run,  Novak Djokovic enters last eight in US Open

Novak Djokovic sailed into the US&nbsp;Open&nbsp;third round on Wednesday in his quest for a 24th Grand Slam triumph as Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff stayed on a quarter-final collision course in New York.

Djokovic climbed through the gears against 76th-ranked Bernabe Zapata Miralles, winning 13 of the last 15 games to ease through 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 in two hours on Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

Next up for the Serbian star is compatriot and 32nd seed Laslo Djere, with Djokovic keeping up his record of always reaching at least the last 32 in New York.

"At 36 years of age, after 20 years of coming to New York, I still have the hunger to play my best tennis on this court," said Djokovic, a three-time US&nbsp;Open&nbsp;champion.

"I have the experience and understanding of what needs to be done in the important moments. Preserving the energy and focusing on the present moment."

Defending champion and world number one Swiatek swept past Australia's Daria Saville 6-3, 6-4.

The Pole is bidding to become the first woman to successfully defend her US&nbsp;Open&nbsp;crown since Serena Williams won a hat-trick of titles from 2012-2014.

"It wasn't easy but I'm happy I tried to play my game and play aggressively with a lot of intensity and I'm just happy to be in the third round," said Swiatek, aiming for her fifth Grand Slam triumph.

Swiatek will now play Slovenia's Kaja Juvan on Friday for a place in the last 16.

Gauff, 19, brushed aside 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva, the youngest player in the draw, 6-3, 6-2 to continue her strong run on hard courts this summer after titles in Washington and Cincinnati.

The sixth seed, viewed as one of the favourites in New York, takes on Belgium's Elise Mertens for a place in the last 16 after getting the better of Andreeva for the second time in three Grand Slams.

"I just learned to be aggressive, because if you give her something she is going to take advantage," said Gauff, who overcame Andreeva in three sets at Roland Garros in June.

"She has a great future in front of her - I think she is going to be back on this stage many more times."

Mertens, the 32nd seed, battled back from the brink by saving two match points in the second-set tie-break to knock off the dangerous Collins, last year's Australian&nbsp;Open&nbsp;runner-up.

The Belgian, who had the support of three-time US&nbsp;Open&nbsp;winner Kim Clijsters in her box, advanced 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-1 and now awaits Gauff.

<h2>Tsitsipas dumped out&nbsp;</h2>

Stefanos Tsitsipas' miserable US&nbsp;Open&nbsp;run continued as he crashed out to 21-year-old Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker in five sets.

Tsitsipas served for the match at 5-3 in the fourth set but the 128th-ranked Stricker rallied to prevail 7-5, 6-7 (2/7), 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 in just over four hours.

"I don't know how. I did it somehow. Actually a bit speechless but it's a great day," said Stricker, who had won just one Grand Slam match before this week.

Greece's Tsitsipas, the seventh seed and a two-time Grand Slam finalist, has never progressed beyond round three in six visits to New York.

Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova, this year's French&nbsp;Open&nbsp;finalist, sailed past Magdalena Frech in straight sets.

Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic ended the run of British qualifier Lily Miyazaki 6-3, 6-3, but Brazilian 19th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia was dumped out by Taylor Townsend 7-6 (7/1), 7-5.

Fifth seed Casper Ruud, runner-up at three of the past six majors including last year's US&nbsp;Open, takes on China's Zhang Zhizhen in his second-round match on Wednesday.

Elena Rybakina, the women's fourth seed, plays Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in the night session on Louis Armstrong, while old rivals Petra Kvitova and Caroline Wozniacki also meet under the lights.

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Novak Djokovic sailed into the US Open third round on Wednesday in his quest for a 24th Grand Slam triumph as Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff stayed on a quarter-final collision course in New York.

Novak Djokovic sailed into the US Open third round on Wednesday in his quest for a 24th Grand Slam triumph as Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff stayed on a quarter-final collision course in New York. Djokovic climbed through the gears against 76th-ranked Bernabe Zapata Miralles, winning 13 of the last 15 games to ease through 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 in two hours on Arthur Ashe Stadium court. Next up for the Serbian star is compatriot and 32nd seed Laslo Djere, with Djokovic keeping up his record of always reaching at least the last 32 in New York. "At 36 years of age, after 20 years of coming to New York, I still have the hunger to play my best tennis on this court," said Djokovic, a three-time US Open champion. "I have the experience and understanding of what needs to be done in the important moments. Preserving the energy and focusing on the present moment." Defending champion and world number one Swiatek swept past Australia's Daria Saville 6-3, 6-4. The Pole is bidding to become the first woman to successfully defend her US Open crown since Serena Williams won a hat-trick of titles from 2012-2014. "It wasn't easy but I'm happy I tried to play my game and play aggressively with a lot of intensity and I'm just happy to be in the third round," said Swiatek, aiming for her fifth Grand Slam triumph. Swiatek will now play Slovenia's Kaja Juvan on Friday for a place in the last 16. Gauff, 19, brushed aside 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva, the youngest player in the draw, 6-3, 6-2 to continue her strong run on hard courts this summer after titles in Washington and Cincinnati. The sixth seed, viewed as one of the favourites in New York, takes on Belgium's Elise Mertens for a place in the last 16 after getting the better of Andreeva for the second time in three Grand Slams. "I just learned to be aggressive, because if you give her something she is going to take advantage," said Gauff, who overcame Andreeva in three sets at Roland Garros in June. "She has a great future in front of her - I think she is going to be back on this stage many more times." Mertens, the 32nd seed, battled back from the brink by saving two match points in the second-set tie-break to knock off the dangerous Collins, last year's Australian Open runner-up. The Belgian, who had the support of three-time US Open winner Kim Clijsters in her box, advanced 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-1 and now awaits Gauff. Tsitsipas dumped out Stefanos Tsitsipas' miserable US Open run continued as he crashed out to 21-year-old Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker in five sets. Tsitsipas served for the match at 5-3 in the fourth set but the 128th-ranked Stricker rallied to prevail 7-5, 6-7 (2/7), 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (8/6), 6-3 in just over four hours. "I don't know how. I did it somehow. Actually a bit speechless but it's a great day," said Stricker, who had won just one Grand Slam match before this week. Greece's Tsitsipas, the seventh seed and a two-time Grand Slam finalist, has never progressed beyond round three in six visits to New York. Czech 10th seed Karolina Muchova, this year's French Open finalist, sailed past Magdalena Frech in straight sets. Olympic gold medallist Belinda Bencic ended the run of British qualifier Lily Miyazaki 6-3, 6-3, but Brazilian 19th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia was dumped out by Taylor Townsend 7-6 (7/1), 7-5. Fifth seed Casper Ruud, runner-up at three of the past six majors including last year's US Open, takes on China's Zhang Zhizhen in his second-round match on Wednesday. Elena Rybakina, the women's fourth seed, plays Australian Ajla Tomljanovic in the night session on Louis Armstrong, while old rivals Petra Kvitova and Caroline Wozniacki also meet under the lights. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Djokovic ramps up US Open bid as Swiatek, Gauff stroll

Sofia Kenin beat fellow countrywoman and world no. 7 Coco Gauff in the first round of 2023 Wimbledon Championship on court No. 1 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in an All-American match. Kenin, aged 24, had won a Grand Slam at 21 and was once an upcoming star of of the USA - a place which now belongs to Gauff.

Kenin, ranked no. 128 ahead of the Wimbledon, had to go through three qualifying matches to enter the main draw. Since winning her only major in 2020 (Australian Open), Kenin had to deal with multiple injuries including a battle with COVID-19. The 24-year-old, however, seemed content after the win.

"I know where I was," Kenin said as reported by the Associated Press, "and where I should be."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ashes-2023-pm-anthony-albanese-backs-australia-post-british-pms-support-to-ben-stokes-in-lords-test-row-611618">Ashes 2023: PM Anthony Albanese backs Australia post British PM's support to Ben Stokes in Lord's Test row</a>

Speaking on his mindset during the game, Kenin said she just focused on 'not getting anxious or too excited'. The winner also revealed that she tried to pick on Gauff's 'weaker side - her forehand a little bit more.'

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Stunning Sofia 🌟 
 
Qualifier <a href="https://twitter.com/SofiaKenin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SofiaKenin</a> prevails in a high-quality battle against fellow American Coco Gauff, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 🙌 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wimbledon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Wimbledon</a> <a href="https://t.co/vgewwv2RSl">pic.twitter.com/vgewwv2RSl</a>
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) <a href="https://twitter.com/Wimbledon/status/1675952565362606082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Gauff, while speaking on the loss, said, "I didn't really put too much pressure on her. I felt like she could make a ball on the court (and) didn't have to be as good — and I wouldn't do much with it. That's what happened."

Gauff, however, acknowledged that coming from qualifiers, she expected Kenin to play with confidence.

"With three wins under her belt from ‘qualies,' I knew she was going to be playing with confidence," Gauff said.

Responding to the question on whether Kenin could reach the heights she once was at, Gauff said, "I mean, it's always possible for somebody to get back to that level. She's still on the younger end of her career. I think with how she played today, it shouldn't be too long."

Gauff, who made her breakthrough aged 15 at Wimbledon in 2019, is still only 19 and is touted as one of the rising stars in the sport.

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Sofia Kenin beat fellow countrywoman and world no. 7 Coco Gauff in the first round of 2023 Wimbledon Championship on court No. 1 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in an All-American match.

Sofia Kenin beat fellow countrywoman and world no. 7 Coco Gauff in the first round of 2023 Wimbledon Championship on court No. 1 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in an All-American match. Kenin, aged 24, had won a Grand Slam at 21 and was once an upcoming star of of the USA - a place which now belongs to Gauff. Kenin, ranked no. 128 ahead of the Wimbledon, had to go through three qualifying matches to enter the main draw. Since winning her only major in 2020 (Australian Open), Kenin had to deal with multiple injuries including a battle with COVID-19. The 24-year-old, however, seemed content after the win. "I know where I was," Kenin said as reported by the Associated Press, "and where I should be." Also Read: Ashes 2023: PM Anthony Albanese backs Australia post British PM's support to Ben Stokes in Lord's Test row Speaking on his mindset during the game, Kenin said she just focused on 'not getting anxious or too excited'. The winner also revealed that she tried to pick on Gauff's 'weaker side - her forehand a little bit more.' Stunning Sofia 🌟 Qualifier @SofiaKenin prevails in a high-quality battle against fellow American Coco Gauff, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 🙌 #Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/vgewwv2RSl — Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2023 × Gauff, while speaking on the loss, said, "I didn't really put too much pressure on her. I felt like she could make a ball on the court (and) didn't have to be as good — and I wouldn't do much with it. That's what happened." Gauff, however, acknowledged that coming from qualifiers, she expected Kenin to play with confidence. "With three wins under her belt from ‘qualies,' I knew she was going to be playing with confidence," Gauff said. Responding to the question on whether Kenin could reach the heights she once was at, Gauff said, "I mean, it's always possible for somebody to get back to that level. She's still on the younger end of her career. I think with how she played today, it shouldn't be too long." Gauff, who made her breakthrough aged 15 at Wimbledon in 2019, is still only 19 and is touted as one of the rising stars in the sport. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Wimbledon 2023: Sofia Kenin knows where 'she should be' after shocking world no. 7 Coco Gauff in opening round

Coco Gauff vowed to channel the frustration she felt after losing to Sofia Kenin in the first round of Wimbledon on Monday into improving her game as she continues her quest for a Grand Slam breakthrough. The resurgent Kenin, who won the 2020 Australian Open but had to come through qualifying to face the seventh-seeded Gauff, was the more confident of the pair of Americans, dictating play and pushing the teenager around the court at the All England Club.

"Right now I'm very frustrated and disappointed," Gauff said after losing 6-4 4-6 6-2, her first-ever opening-round defeat at the grasscourt major. "So, yeah, I think it makes me want to work even harder. I feel like I have been working hard, but clearly it's not enough. "I have to go back to the drawing board and see where I need to improve and how to do the right drills to do that."

Opponents have targeted Gauff's vulnerable forehand and she said she knows that shot needs work. "Obviously my forehand," she said. "Being more aggressive on those shots. I think I made too many errors on my forehand and backhand today."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-2023-sofia-kenin-knows-where-she-should-be-after-shocking-world-no-7-coco-gauff-in-opening-round-611650">Wimbledon 2023: Sofia Kenin knows where 'she should be' after shocking world no. 7 Coco Gauff in opening round</a>

She also needs to do a better job of taking the fight to her opponent, she said. "I didn't really put too much pressure on her," she said. "I felt like she could make a ball on the court, didn't have to be as good, and I wouldn't do much with it. That's what happened. "If I played too passive, she has a game where she can hit aggressive shots."

Kenin, who has been ranked as high as world number four in March 2020 but is now 128th, called 2023 a "comeback year" for her and said she benefited from low expectations on Monday. "When I was higher ranked and everything, people looked at me like I should win," Kenin said. "I knew she'd be a bit more nervous because more pressure's on her than me. I just tried to use everything I could this match to my advantage."

Kenin will face China's Wang Xinyu in the second round.

Coco Gauff vowed to channel the frustration she felt after losing to Sofia Kenin in the first round of Wimbledon on Monday into improving her game as she continues her quest for a Grand Slam breakthrough.

Coco Gauff vowed to channel the frustration she felt after losing to Sofia Kenin in the first round of Wimbledon on Monday into improving her game as she continues her quest for a Grand Slam breakthrough. The resurgent Kenin, who won the 2020 Australian Open but had to come through qualifying to face the seventh-seeded Gauff, was the more confident of the pair of Americans, dictating play and pushing the teenager around the court at the All England Club. "Right now I'm very frustrated and disappointed," Gauff said after losing 6-4 4-6 6-2, her first-ever opening-round defeat at the grasscourt major. "So, yeah, I think it makes me want to work even harder. I feel like I have been working hard, but clearly it's not enough. "I have to go back to the drawing board and see where I need to improve and how to do the right drills to do that." Opponents have targeted Gauff's vulnerable forehand and she said she knows that shot needs work. "Obviously my forehand," she said. "Being more aggressive on those shots. I think I made too many errors on my forehand and backhand today." Also Read: Wimbledon 2023: Sofia Kenin knows where 'she should be' after shocking world no. 7 Coco Gauff in opening round She also needs to do a better job of taking the fight to her opponent, she said. "I didn't really put too much pressure on her," she said. "I felt like she could make a ball on the court, didn't have to be as good, and I wouldn't do much with it. That's what happened. "If I played too passive, she has a game where she can hit aggressive shots." Kenin, who has been ranked as high as world number four in March 2020 but is now 128th, called 2023 a "comeback year" for her and said she benefited from low expectations on Monday. "When I was higher ranked and everything, people looked at me like I should win," Kenin said. "I knew she'd be a bit more nervous because more pressure's on her than me. I just tried to use everything I could this match to my advantage." Kenin will face China's Wang Xinyu in the second round.

Have to go back to the drawing board: Coco Gauff eager to 'improve' after Wimbledon first-round exit

Third-seeded Jessica Pegula and fifth-seeded Coco Gauff each recorded straight-set wins to advance to the second round of the Rothesay International on Tuesday in Eastbourne, England. Pegula posted a 6-3, 6-4 victory over 24th-ranked Qinwen Zheng of China in 1 hour, 38 minutes, while Gauff fired six aces en route to a 6-3, 6-2 win over Bernarda Pera in 61 minutes.

Pegula and Gauff could meet in the quarterfinals, provided they win their second-round matches on Wednesday against Colombian qualifier Camila Osorio and lucky loser Jodie Burrage of Great Britain, respectively. Also on Tuesday, Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia secured a 6-1, 7-5 win over Madison Brengle and fourth-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia captured a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Italian Jasmine Paolini.

Eighth-seeded Beatriz Haddad Maia had a much tougher time of it before notching a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) win over Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic.

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Bad Homburg Open

Second-seeded Liudmila Samsonova outlasted Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic to punch her ticket to the quarterfinals. Samsonova recorded 18 aces to secure a 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3 win over the 18-year-old Noskova.

Fifth-seeded Bianca Andreescu was not as fortunate. Spain's Rebeka Masarova registered seven aces en route to a comprehensive 6-3, 6-2 victory over the Canadian, a former U.S. Open champion and the runner-up at this tournament last year. Also on Tuesday, eighth-seeded Varvara Gracheva notched a 6-2, 7-5 win over Italian Sara Errani.

Third-seeded Jessica Pegula and fifth-seeded Coco Gauff each recorded straight-set wins to advance to the second round of the Rothesay International on Tuesday in Eastbourne, England.

Third-seeded Jessica Pegula and fifth-seeded Coco Gauff each recorded straight-set wins to advance to the second round of the Rothesay International on Tuesday in Eastbourne, England. Pegula posted a 6-3, 6-4 victory over 24th-ranked Qinwen Zheng of China in 1 hour, 38 minutes, while Gauff fired six aces en route to a 6-3, 6-2 win over Bernarda Pera in 61 minutes. Pegula and Gauff could meet in the quarterfinals, provided they win their second-round matches on Wednesday against Colombian qualifier Camila Osorio and lucky loser Jodie Burrage of Great Britain, respectively. Also on Tuesday, Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia secured a 6-1, 7-5 win over Madison Brengle and fourth-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia captured a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Italian Jasmine Paolini. Eighth-seeded Beatriz Haddad Maia had a much tougher time of it before notching a 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3) win over Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic. Also Read: NFL: Free agent RB Leonard Fournette escapes unhurt after car catches fire while he was driving Bad Homburg Open Second-seeded Liudmila Samsonova outlasted Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic to punch her ticket to the quarterfinals. Samsonova recorded 18 aces to secure a 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-3 win over the 18-year-old Noskova. Fifth-seeded Bianca Andreescu was not as fortunate. Spain's Rebeka Masarova registered seven aces en route to a comprehensive 6-3, 6-2 victory over the Canadian, a former U.S. Open champion and the runner-up at this tournament last year. Also on Tuesday, eighth-seeded Varvara Gracheva notched a 6-2, 7-5 win over Italian Sara Errani.

Tennis: WTA roundup | Jessica Pegula, Coco Gauff cruise in England

Holder Iga Swiatek was tested by American sixth seed Coco Gauff in a rematch of their 2022 French Open title clash but the world number one showed her class to secure a 6-4 6-2 victory and reach the semi-finals on Wednesday (June 7).

The top seed will take on Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia in the last four as she continues her bid for a third crown in four years at Roland Garros and her fourth Grand Slam title overall.

Swiatek has adopted a more ruthless approach to her title defence dishing out four bagels in as many rounds but the Pole found the going tougher against a determined Gauff in the see-sawing opening set on Court Philippe Chatrier.

After drawing first blood, she allowed Gauff to hit back and level up at 3-3 by crashing a volley into the net before getting back on track to take the advantage in the clash with a superb crosscourt winner.

The relieved 22-year-old pumped her fist and let out a big scream after that decisive point.

Swiatek took a tumble at the net after nearly being struck by a Gauff rocket before producing a tight hold for a 2-1 lead in the next set and dusted herself off to grab another break with a perfectly placed lob.

She settled the contest by pouncing on Gauff's serve again and finished when the 19-year-old found the net.

Haddad Maia left seventh seed Ons Jabeur's hopes of becoming the first African woman to win a singles Grand Slam in ruins after a 3-6 7-6(5) 6-1 victory.

Jabeur was bidding to reach her third Grand Slam semi-final in less than a year but her plans were scuppered by the 14th-seeded left-hander who battled back bravely to book her own maiden last four Slam appearance.

She is the first Brazilian woman since Maria Bueno in 1968 to reach a Slam semi-final and the first female player from her country to book a last four spot at Roland Garros in the Open Era.

The Tunisian, a finalist in Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last year, bagged a couple of quick breaks at the start to move into the driving seat with Haddad Maia having trouble dealing with her opponent's flat groundstrokes.

The Brazilian, having already become the first woman from her country in 55 years to reach the quarter-finals at a Grand Slam, decided to run Jabeur instead.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wtc-final-virat-kohli-hopes-for-another-rohit-sharma-century-at-the-oval-601649">WTC Final: Virat Kohli hopes for another Rohit Sharma century at the Oval</a>

The Tunisian then deployed her much-feared weapon, plopping drop shots over the net with Haddad Maia quickly going 4-1 down.

Jabeur served out the first set a little later with the left hander sending a forehand wide on the first set point.

Both players held serve without conceding a single break point until 5-5 when Jabeur went 40-15 up on Haddad Maia's serve but failed to convert either.

Her opponent also wasted a chance in the next game but levelled after winning the tiebreak.

She then raced to a 5-1 lead with Jabeur sending an easy forehand long on her opponent's first match point.

&nbsp;

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Holder Iga Swiatek was tested by American sixth seed Coco Gauff in a rematch of their 2022 French Open title clash but the world number one showed her class to secure a 6-4 6-2 victory and reach the semi-finals on Wednesday (June 7).

Holder Iga Swiatek was tested by American sixth seed Coco Gauff in a rematch of their 2022 French Open title clash but the world number one showed her class to secure a 6-4 6-2 victory and reach the semi-finals on Wednesday (June 7). The top seed will take on Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia in the last four as she continues her bid for a third crown in four years at Roland Garros and her fourth Grand Slam title overall. Swiatek has adopted a more ruthless approach to her title defence dishing out four bagels in as many rounds but the Pole found the going tougher against a determined Gauff in the see-sawing opening set on Court Philippe Chatrier. After drawing first blood, she allowed Gauff to hit back and level up at 3-3 by crashing a volley into the net before getting back on track to take the advantage in the clash with a superb crosscourt winner. The relieved 22-year-old pumped her fist and let out a big scream after that decisive point. Swiatek took a tumble at the net after nearly being struck by a Gauff rocket before producing a tight hold for a 2-1 lead in the next set and dusted herself off to grab another break with a perfectly placed lob. She settled the contest by pouncing on Gauff's serve again and finished when the 19-year-old found the net. Haddad Maia left seventh seed Ons Jabeur's hopes of becoming the first African woman to win a singles Grand Slam in ruins after a 3-6 7-6(5) 6-1 victory. Jabeur was bidding to reach her third Grand Slam semi-final in less than a year but her plans were scuppered by the 14th-seeded left-hander who battled back bravely to book her own maiden last four Slam appearance. She is the first Brazilian woman since Maria Bueno in 1968 to reach a Slam semi-final and the first female player from her country to book a last four spot at Roland Garros in the Open Era. The Tunisian, a finalist in Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last year, bagged a couple of quick breaks at the start to move into the driving seat with Haddad Maia having trouble dealing with her opponent's flat groundstrokes. The Brazilian, having already become the first woman from her country in 55 years to reach the quarter-finals at a Grand Slam, decided to run Jabeur instead. ALSO READ | WTC Final: Virat Kohli hopes for another Rohit Sharma century at the Oval The Tunisian then deployed her much-feared weapon, plopping drop shots over the net with Haddad Maia quickly going 4-1 down. Jabeur served out the first set a little later with the left hander sending a forehand wide on the first set point. Both players held serve without conceding a single break point until 5-5 when Jabeur went 40-15 up on Haddad Maia's serve but failed to convert either. Her opponent also wasted a chance in the next game but levelled after winning the tiebreak. She then raced to a 5-1 lead with Jabeur sending an easy forehand long on her opponent's first match point. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

French Open: Iga Swiatek outclasses Coco Gauff in straight sets to reach semifinals

Coco Gauff came back from a set down to end 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva's magical French Open debut on Saturday to reach the last 16.

World number six Gauff, the runner-up to Iga Swiatek in 2022, won 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 6-1 against her 143rd-ranked opponent who came through qualifying and was the youngest player to make the third round since 2005.

Gauff, 19, will face either fellow American Kayla Day or Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia for a place in the quarter-finals.

"Mirra is super young and has a big future," said Gauff.

"I remember I played here when I was 16 so she has a lot to look forward to. I'm sure you'll see a lot more matches between us."

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Gauff said that despite her first set problems, she was confident she could pull through.

"I was a little undisciplined in the tiebreak but I knew what the game plan was so I just tried to execute that in the second and third sets.

"But Mirra proved she belongs where she is and deserves to go further."

Andreeva led 3-1 and 4-2 in the opener but was twice pinned back by her American opponent.

Gauff then served for the set in the 10th game but her fifth double fault allowed the Russian to level.

Andreeva took the set on a tiebreak after an hour with a sweeping, running forehand but collected a code violation on the way for petulantly swiping a ball into the Court Suzanne Lenglen crowd.

Gauff was comfortably the more aggressive and composed player in the second set, stretching out to a 5-1 lead on the back of a double break on her way to levelling the tie.

The American secured it in style with her first ace of the contest.

She also slashed her unforced error count to just three in the set compared to Andreeva's 11.

Gauff maintained her dominance in the decider as Andreeva finally ran out of steam after a sixth match in Paris.

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Coco Gauff came back from a set down to end 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva's magical French Open debut on Saturday to reach the last 16. World number six Gauff, the runner-up to Iga Swiatek in 2022, won 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 6-1 against her 143rd-ranked opponent who came through qualifying and was the youngest player to make the third round since 2005.

Coco Gauff came back from a set down to end 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva's magical French Open debut on Saturday to reach the last 16. World number six Gauff, the runner-up to Iga Swiatek in 2022, won 6-7 (5/7), 6-1, 6-1 against her 143rd-ranked opponent who came through qualifying and was the youngest player to make the third round since 2005. Gauff, 19, will face either fellow American Kayla Day or Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia for a place in the quarter-finals. "Mirra is super young and has a big future," said Gauff. "I remember I played here when I was 16 so she has a lot to look forward to. I'm sure you'll see a lot more matches between us." Also Read: Ashes 2023: England name 16-man squad for first two Tests, James Anderson included Gauff said that despite her first set problems, she was confident she could pull through. "I was a little undisciplined in the tiebreak but I knew what the game plan was so I just tried to execute that in the second and third sets. "But Mirra proved she belongs where she is and deserves to go further." Andreeva led 3-1 and 4-2 in the opener but was twice pinned back by her American opponent. Gauff then served for the set in the 10th game but her fifth double fault allowed the Russian to level. Andreeva took the set on a tiebreak after an hour with a sweeping, running forehand but collected a code violation on the way for petulantly swiping a ball into the Court Suzanne Lenglen crowd. Gauff was comfortably the more aggressive and composed player in the second set, stretching out to a 5-1 lead on the back of a double break on her way to levelling the tie. The American secured it in style with her first ace of the contest. She also slashed her unforced error count to just three in the set compared to Andreeva's 11. Gauff maintained her dominance in the decider as Andreeva finally ran out of steam after a sixth match in Paris. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

French Open 2023: Coco Gauff puts end to 16-year-old Andreeva's campaign

The Madrid Open concluded on May 07 (Sunday) with&nbsp;Carlos Alcaraz and&nbsp;Aryna Sabalenka winning the singles title (in men&nbsp;and women&nbsp;category, respectively). On the other hand, Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia won the women's doubles whereas&nbsp;Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev clinched the title in the men's category. However, the event made heads turn for quite a lot of wrong reasons.

The tournament has been thrashed left, right, and centre for its unsavoury treatment of&nbsp;female players. From silencing the women&nbsp;finalists, and 'sexist' ball girl&nbsp;outfits to contrasting birthday cakes presented to Alcaraz and Sabalenka, many strange decisions taken by the organisers left tennis fans fuming.&nbsp;

Silencing women finalists

American duo Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff conceded the women's doubles final to Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia, losing&nbsp;1-6, 4-6. To the surprise of many,&nbsp;none of the players were allowed to address the audience. However, the same was not the case for the men's doubles finalists.

"What happened in Madrid, it was really disappointing ... I had a feeling something was going to happen," Pegula told reporters, on Tuesday (May 9), prior to the commencement of the ongoing&nbsp;Italian Open.

"Did I think we were not going to be able to speak? No. I've never heard of that ... in my life. I don't know what century everyone was living in when they made that decision," the world number three Pegula added.

Meanwhile, BBC Sport quoted organisers as saying of the decision: "The tournament will not comment on the matter."

The 19-year-old Gauff highlighted, "I have a lot of finals, so it's not about that," she told reporters. "It's more about the principle behind it, so this can't happen again for future girls, take the opportunity away from them."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis-it-would-be-brutal-for-tennis-if-rafael-nadal-misses-french-open-2023-says-roger-federer-590173">Tennis: It would be brutal for tennis if Rafael Nadal misses French Open 2023, says Roger Federer</a>

Sexist ballgirl outfits

Moreover, the organisers were severely criticised&nbsp;for dressing the ball girls on the main court in crop tops and short skirts. After the backlash, the skirts were swapped for long shorts ahead of the men's singles final, on&nbsp;Sunday, however,&nbsp;the crop tops remained as is.

Pilar Calvo, spokesperson for The Association for Women in Professional Sports, told Spanish outlet Público, “It’s a feminized way of treating girls versus guys who don’t dress like that. In the end, it is a form of sexist violence that is so widespread because people don’t even notice it."

Cake gate

Not only this, birthday cakes presented to Alcaraz and Sabalenka also drew criticism on social media platforms. A&nbsp;fan posted two photos on Twitter indicating the difference in size of the birthday cakes given to Alcaraz and Sabalenka. The two&nbsp;share a birthday on May 5.

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That doesn’t look right <a href="https://t.co/ySiXWiqdNa">https://t.co/ySiXWiqdNa</a>
— Bianca (@Bandreescu_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Bandreescu_/status/1654531421673750562?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2023</a></blockquote>
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To this, former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu tweeted in response, "That doesn’t look right."

Victoria Azarenka, a former world number one, replied to the tweet, saying: “Couldn’t be more accurate on the treatment.”

Tournament director Feliciano López also joined in and said in defence, "I’m surprised by this reaction after this gesture! 1. Carlos had just won his match to reach the final. 2. He was playing on centre court. 3. The tournament is played in Spain."

While the Madrid Open has ended, the tournament has concluded with more questions than answers with regard to the treatment meted out to male and female players in world sports.

The Madrid Open concluded on May 07 (Sunday) with Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka winning the singles title (in men and women category, respectively). On the other hand, Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia won the women's doubles whereas Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev clinched the title in the men's category.

The Madrid Open concluded on May 07 (Sunday) with Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka winning the singles title (in men and women category, respectively). On the other hand, Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia won the women's doubles whereas Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev clinched the title in the men's category. However, the event made heads turn for quite a lot of wrong reasons. The tournament has been thrashed left, right, and centre for its unsavoury treatment of female players. From silencing the women finalists, and 'sexist' ball girl outfits to contrasting birthday cakes presented to Alcaraz and Sabalenka, many strange decisions taken by the organisers left tennis fans fuming. Silencing women finalists American duo Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff conceded the women's doubles final to Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia, losing 1-6, 4-6. To the surprise of many, none of the players were allowed to address the audience. However, the same was not the case for the men's doubles finalists. "What happened in Madrid, it was really disappointing ... I had a feeling something was going to happen," Pegula told reporters, on Tuesday (May 9), prior to the commencement of the ongoing Italian Open. "Did I think we were not going to be able to speak? No. I've never heard of that ... in my life. I don't know what century everyone was living in when they made that decision," the world number three Pegula added. Meanwhile, BBC Sport quoted organisers as saying of the decision: "The tournament will not comment on the matter." The 19-year-old Gauff highlighted, "I have a lot of finals, so it's not about that," she told reporters. "It's more about the principle behind it, so this can't happen again for future girls, take the opportunity away from them." Also Read: Tennis: It would be brutal for tennis if Rafael Nadal misses French Open 2023, says Roger Federer Sexist ballgirl outfits Moreover, the organisers were severely criticised for dressing the ball girls on the main court in crop tops and short skirts. After the backlash, the skirts were swapped for long shorts ahead of the men's singles final, on Sunday, however, the crop tops remained as is. Pilar Calvo, spokesperson for The Association for Women in Professional Sports, told Spanish outlet Público, “It’s a feminized way of treating girls versus guys who don’t dress like that. In the end, it is a form of sexist violence that is so widespread because people don’t even notice it." Cake gate Not only this, birthday cakes presented to Alcaraz and Sabalenka also drew criticism on social media platforms. A fan posted two photos on Twitter indicating the difference in size of the birthday cakes given to Alcaraz and Sabalenka. The two share a birthday on May 5. That doesn’t look right https://t.co/ySiXWiqdNa — Bianca (@Bandreescu_) May 5, 2023 × To this, former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu tweeted in response, "That doesn’t look right." Victoria Azarenka, a former world number one, replied to the tweet, saying: “Couldn’t be more accurate on the treatment.” Tournament director Feliciano López also joined in and said in defence, "I’m surprised by this reaction after this gesture! 1. Carlos had just won his match to reach the final. 2. He was playing on centre court. 3. The tournament is played in Spain." While the Madrid Open has ended, the tournament has concluded with more questions than answers with regard to the treatment meted out to male and female players in world sports.

Madrid Open sexism row: From silencing women finalists, cake gate to controversial ball girl outfits

Fifth-seeded Coco Gauff won an all-American quarterfinal on Thursday at the Dubai Duty Free&nbsp;Tennis&nbsp;Championships, beating Madison Keys 6-2, 7-5 in the United Arab Emirates. Gauff saved the only break point she faced in the 81-minute match, and she converted four of her five break opportunities.

The result moves Gauff into a semifinal matchup with top-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland, the reigning French Open champion. Swiatek, who got a walkover into the semis when the Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova couldn't play because of a viral illness, has lost no more than one game in nine of past 10 sets.

The other semifinal will feature third-seeded Jessica Pegula of the United States and Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic. Pegula got a quarterfinal walkover when the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova withdrew due to an abdominal injury. Krejcikova came from behind to upset second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belurus 0-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/world-number-one-novak-djokovic-hopes-for-positive-news-on-us-tournaments-participation-565194">World number one Novak Djokovic hopes for positive news on U.S. tournaments participation</a>

Merida Open Akron

Top-seeded Magda Linette was on the verge of heading to a third set, but instead the Polish player advanced to the quarterfinals in Merida, Mexico, when Hungary's Panna Udvardy was forced to retire due to an ankle injury.

Linette won the first set 6-0 but trailed the second 5-2 when Udvardy had to stop. Udvardy was rallying even though she had won just 40 percent of her first-serve points (10 of 25) and none of her 10 second-serve points.

Second-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States edged Russia's Varvara Gracheva 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (5) in second-round action, and Sweden's Rebecca Peterson upset fifth-seeded U.S. player Alycia Parks 6-4, 6-2. In the last match of the night, fourth-seeded Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic downed Belgium's Ysaline Bonaventure 6-0, 7-5.

Fifth-seeded Coco Gauff won an all-American quarterfinal on Thursday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, beating Madison Keys 6-2, 7-5 in the United Arab Emirates.

Fifth-seeded Coco Gauff won an all-American quarterfinal on Thursday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, beating Madison Keys 6-2, 7-5 in the United Arab Emirates. Gauff saved the only break point she faced in the 81-minute match, and she converted four of her five break opportunities. The result moves Gauff into a semifinal matchup with top-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland, the reigning French Open champion. Swiatek, who got a walkover into the semis when the Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova couldn't play because of a viral illness, has lost no more than one game in nine of past 10 sets. The other semifinal will feature third-seeded Jessica Pegula of the United States and Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic. Pegula got a quarterfinal walkover when the Czech Republic's Karolina Muchova withdrew due to an abdominal injury. Krejcikova came from behind to upset second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belurus 0-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1. Also Read: World number one Novak Djokovic hopes for positive news on U.S. tournaments participation Merida Open Akron Top-seeded Magda Linette was on the verge of heading to a third set, but instead the Polish player advanced to the quarterfinals in Merida, Mexico, when Hungary's Panna Udvardy was forced to retire due to an ankle injury. Linette won the first set 6-0 but trailed the second 5-2 when Udvardy had to stop. Udvardy was rallying even though she had won just 40 percent of her first-serve points (10 of 25) and none of her 10 second-serve points. Second-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States edged Russia's Varvara Gracheva 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (5) in second-round action, and Sweden's Rebecca Peterson upset fifth-seeded U.S. player Alycia Parks 6-4, 6-2. In the last match of the night, fourth-seeded Katerina Siniakova of the Czech Republic downed Belgium's Ysaline Bonaventure 6-0, 7-5.

WTA roundup: Fifth-seeded Coco Gauff enters Dubai semi-finals

The future of women's tennis was on display at the iconic Rod Laver Arena when Coco Gauff squared up against Emma Raducanu. The contest lived to its billing as Gauff came out on top, beating Raducanu 6-3 7-6(4) to reach the third round of the Australian Open.

The future of women's tennis was on display at the iconic Rod Laver Arena when Coco Gauff squared up against Emma Raducanu. The contest lived to its billing as Gauff came out on top, beating Raducanu 6-3 7-6(4) to reach the third round of the Australian Open. 18-year-old Gauff proved too hot to handle for the former US Open champion who looked ginger in the opening set. The American broke Raducanu 2-1 and raced to wrap the set within no time. The 20-year-old Briton pushed Gauff in the second set and took it to a tie-breaker before coming up short to the heavy shot-making and serve of Gauff. "In the beginning, you know, I think we both started off rocky but I think the match was good quality for the most part considering the circumstances. Both of us were nervous and this was a long-anticipated match-up since the draw came out so I’m glad this was a good match for you guys," said Gauff in the post-match interview. Raducanu had a minor abs problem on the court which came on the back of her ankle injury scare. 10 days prior to the start of the Australian Open, Raducanu exited an Auckland warm-up tournament injured and in tears. Read more: Australian Open: Defending champion Rafael Nadal crashes out in straight sets Raducanu stunned the tennis world by emerging from qualifying to win the US Open in 2021 but has struggled on tour since. Gauff, despite being younger than Raducanu has managed to stay more competitive on the circuit. After advancing to the next round, Gauff's eyes will firmly be on lifting the Daphne Akhurst Cup on January 28. Gauff would be aiming to become the youngest Australian Open champion since 16-year-old Martina Hingis won the tournament in 1997 Read more: 'Can’t say I’m not destroyed...': Rafael Nadal after shock Australian Open exit Following the retirements last year of champion Ash Barty and 23-times major winner Serena Williams, the tennis world has been looking for its prodigies to step up and carry the legacy forward. The match-up on Wednesday proved that more-than-worthy successors were in the offing. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Australian Open: Coco Gauff beats Emma Raducanu in the battle of prodigies

Right before the commencement of the Australian Open, the likes of Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz will feature in a charity match in order to raise funds for crisis-hit Ukraine following the Russian invasion. The charity match will take place on January 11&nbsp;at the Rod Laver Arena. Apart from Nadal, Gauff and Alcaraz, the likes of&nbsp;Alexander Zverev, Frances Tiafoe, Maria Sakkari and Alex de Minaur will also be seen for the match.&nbsp;It is to be noted that the money raised will be donated to UNICEF Australia and Global Giving, who are closely working for improving the situation in Ukraine after the Russian attack.

"Tennis is a truly global sport with an international playing community that has a history of stepping up and helping out. Through Tennis Plays for Peace, the tennis community can offer practical assistance through fundraising, as well as show our heartfelt support for the victims of the war," Craig Tiley, the Australian Open Tournament Director, was quoted as saying.&nbsp;"We look forward to a spectacular night of tennis and entertainment and a wonderful opportunity to come together and raise much-needed funds," he added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/martina-navratilova-a-look-at-tennis-legends-records-as-she-fights-another-battle-549063">Martina Navratilova: A look at the tennis legend's records as she fights another battle</a>

It is expected that more players will join for the tournament and an announcement will follow suit&nbsp;as the United Cup and Adelaide International are currently underway in Australia. The tickets for the charity matches are already up for grabs. It is priced at 25 dollars for adults and 5 dollars&nbsp;for children. The tournament, which is backed by the ITF, ATP and the WTA, will see many big players compete and gear up for the 2023 season-opener, i.e. the Australian Open.&nbsp;

With the likes of Nadal, Alcaraz and others being part of the Tennis Plays for Peace&nbsp;charity match, it will attract a lot of eyeballs among tennis fans. Thus, a huge sum is expected to be drawn from it.

Right before the commencement of the Australian Open, the likes of Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz will feature in a charity match in order to raise funds for crisis-hit Ukraine following the Russian invasion.

Right before the commencement of the Australian Open, the likes of Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz will feature in a charity match in order to raise funds for crisis-hit Ukraine following the Russian invasion. The charity match will take place on January 11 at the Rod Laver Arena. Apart from Nadal, Gauff and Alcaraz, the likes of Alexander Zverev, Frances Tiafoe, Maria Sakkari and Alex de Minaur will also be seen for the match. It is to be noted that the money raised will be donated to UNICEF Australia and Global Giving, who are closely working for improving the situation in Ukraine after the Russian attack. "Tennis is a truly global sport with an international playing community that has a history of stepping up and helping out. Through Tennis Plays for Peace, the tennis community can offer practical assistance through fundraising, as well as show our heartfelt support for the victims of the war," Craig Tiley, the Australian Open Tournament Director, was quoted as saying. "We look forward to a spectacular night of tennis and entertainment and a wonderful opportunity to come together and raise much-needed funds," he added. Also read: Martina Navratilova: A look at the tennis legend's records as she fights another battle It is expected that more players will join for the tournament and an announcement will follow suit as the United Cup and Adelaide International are currently underway in Australia. The tickets for the charity matches are already up for grabs. It is priced at 25 dollars for adults and 5 dollars for children. The tournament, which is backed by the ITF, ATP and the WTA, will see many big players compete and gear up for the 2023 season-opener, i.e. the Australian Open. With the likes of Nadal, Alcaraz and others being part of the Tennis Plays for Peace charity match, it will attract a lot of eyeballs among tennis fans. Thus, a huge sum is expected to be drawn from it.

Rafael Nadal, Coco Gauff, Carlos Alcaraz to play in charity match to raise funds for crisis-hit Ukraine

Coco Gauff qualified for the WTA Finals for the first time on Wednesday, along with French player Caroline Garcia, who will be making her second appearance in the event. Gauff, 18, and Garcia join world number one Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur and Jessica Pegula in the singles draw for the finals in Fort Worth, Texas from October 31 to November 7. Gauff will also play in the doubles with partner Pegula, making them the first Americans to take part in the WTA Finals in both singles and doubles since Serena and Venus Williams in 2009.

At 18 years, 239 days old at the end of the event, Gauff will be the youngest to take part since Maria Sharapova reached the semi-finals in 2005, aged 18 and 208 days. Gauff, who moved into the last 16 of the Guadalajara Open with a straights-set win over Elisabetta Cocciaretto on Wednesday, has had a stellar 2022, winning three titles and reaching the semi-finals of the US Open.

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Garcia, 29, returns to the finals for the first time since 2017 when she reached the semi-finals. The top seed in Guadalajara, Paula Badosa of Spain, retired in the second round on Wednesday having lost the first set to two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka.

Coco Gauff qualified for the WTA Finals for the first time on Wednesday, along with French player Caroline Garcia, who will be making her second appearance in the event.

Coco Gauff qualified for the WTA Finals for the first time on Wednesday, along with French player Caroline Garcia, who will be making her second appearance in the event. Gauff, 18, and Garcia join world number one Iga Swiatek, Ons Jabeur and Jessica Pegula in the singles draw for the finals in Fort Worth, Texas from October 31 to November 7. Gauff will also play in the doubles with partner Pegula, making them the first Americans to take part in the WTA Finals in both singles and doubles since Serena and Venus Williams in 2009. At 18 years, 239 days old at the end of the event, Gauff will be the youngest to take part since Maria Sharapova reached the semi-finals in 2005, aged 18 and 208 days. Gauff, who moved into the last 16 of the Guadalajara Open with a straights-set win over Elisabetta Cocciaretto on Wednesday, has had a stellar 2022, winning three titles and reaching the semi-finals of the US Open. ALSO READ | Jailed Boris Becker teaching inmates how to be fit, behaviour described as 'impeccable': Report Garcia, 29, returns to the finals for the first time since 2017 when she reached the semi-finals. The top seed in Guadalajara, Paula Badosa of Spain, retired in the second round on Wednesday having lost the first set to two-time Australian Open winner Victoria Azarenka.

Teen sensation Coco Gauff reaches WTA Finals for first time

France's Caroline Garcia powered past Coco Gauff of the United States in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the US Open on Tuesday.

In-form 17th seed Garcia advanced to the last four of a Grand Slam singles event for the first time in her career with a 6-3, 6-4 victory at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 28-year-old will play Tunisian fifth seed Ons Jabeur in the semi-finals on Thursday.

"My head is buzzing, I can't describe how I feel," Garcia said after the win.

Garcia, who arrived in New York as the form player in women's tennis following her victory in the Cincinnati Masters, produced another composed performance to dominate the 12th seeded Gauff almost from start to finish.

"I always played very aggressive and the last couple of months I feel healthy again and I've been able to move and practice the way I want," said Garcia.

"I just go for my shots even when I'm stressed or when I don't feel it. The way to improve for me is to move forward and I just try to follow that way."&nbsp;

The Frenchwoman took control early on with two quick breaks to race into a 4-0 lead in the first set with Gauff looking struggling to settle.&nbsp;

The American teenager double-faulted in her opening service game to concede an early break, and then blasted a shot at the net long with the court wide open in the fourth game to gift Garcia a second break.

Although Gauff broke back in the fifth game to cut the deficit, Garcia held her remaining service games to take the set.

Gauff was soon in trouble in the second set, broken in the opening game to allow Garcia to build a 3-1 lead.&nbsp;

Despite Garcia's serving statistics -- she had first serve percentage of only 52% and finished with as many double faults (4) as aces -- Gauff was unable to find the crucial break needed to get back in the game.

The remainder of the set went with serve, Garcia securing victory on her first match point, when Gauff sent a backhand return into the net.

France's Caroline Garcia powered past Coco Gauff of the United States in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the US Open on Tuesday. In-form 17th seed Garcia advanced to the last four of a Grand Slam singles event for the first time in her career with a 6-3, 6-4 victory at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

France's Caroline Garcia powered past Coco Gauff of the United States in straight sets to reach the semi-finals of the US Open on Tuesday. In-form 17th seed Garcia advanced to the last four of a Grand Slam singles event for the first time in her career with a 6-3, 6-4 victory at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. The 28-year-old will play Tunisian fifth seed Ons Jabeur in the semi-finals on Thursday. "My head is buzzing, I can't describe how I feel," Garcia said after the win. Garcia, who arrived in New York as the form player in women's tennis following her victory in the Cincinnati Masters, produced another composed performance to dominate the 12th seeded Gauff almost from start to finish. "I always played very aggressive and the last couple of months I feel healthy again and I've been able to move and practice the way I want," said Garcia. "I just go for my shots even when I'm stressed or when I don't feel it. The way to improve for me is to move forward and I just try to follow that way." The Frenchwoman took control early on with two quick breaks to race into a 4-0 lead in the first set with Gauff looking struggling to settle. The American teenager double-faulted in her opening service game to concede an early break, and then blasted a shot at the net long with the court wide open in the fourth game to gift Garcia a second break. Although Gauff broke back in the fifth game to cut the deficit, Garcia held her remaining service games to take the set. Gauff was soon in trouble in the second set, broken in the opening game to allow Garcia to build a 3-1 lead. Despite Garcia's serving statistics -- she had first serve percentage of only 52% and finished with as many double faults (4) as aces -- Gauff was unable to find the crucial break needed to get back in the game. The remainder of the set went with serve, Garcia securing victory on her first match point, when Gauff sent a backhand return into the net.

Caroline Garcia beats Coco Gauff to reach US Open semi-finals

American teenager Coco Gauff used her superior speed to overcome a second-set deficit and pull off a thrilling 7-5 7-5 win over China's Zhang Shuai to reach the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open for the first time.

With Serena Williams' loss on Friday night likely signaling the end of her legendary career, American tennis fans are eager to see someone emerge in her place and many have put their hopes on the amiable, hard-serving Gauff.

"It feels insane," Gauff said in an on-court interview after sealing the win to set up a showdown with in-form Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia on Tuesday.

"I mean, Ashe Stadium chanting my name, I was trying not to smile on the bench on the last changeover, I was trying to stay in the moment. But in my head I was smiling.

"I can't believe you guys were chanting like that. It's crazy."

In a battle between the youngest player left in the draw, the 18-year-old Gauff, and the oldest, the 33-year-old Zhang, it was the Chinese player who looked sharper at the outset, breaking for a 2-0 lead in the first set.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/us-open-nick-kyrgios-knocks-defending-champion-daniil-medvedev-out-512947">US Open - Nick Kyrgios knocks defending champion Daniil Medvedev out</a>

But 12th seed Gauff kept her poise to break back and fired a two-handed backhand winner to claim the first set and electrify the supportive crowd.

Zhang, a human backboard content to extend rallies from the baseline, grabbed a 5-3 lead in the second when she broke Gauff with a backhand winner of her own.

But Gauff again showed maturity beyond her years, winning the last four games highlighted by an electrifying point in the final game where she used her astonishing speed to slide from corner to corner to elicit an error from Zhang.

The crowd roared in approval after the point and Zhang covered her ears to block out the sound, which was amplified by the closed roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium due to rain.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/i-always-root-for-him-coco-gauff-backs-australian-ace-nick-kyrgios-to-win-us-open-2022-512894">'I always root for him': Coco Gauff backs Australian ace Nick Kyrgios to win US Open 2022</a>

Gauff sealed the nearly two-hour affair on an error by Zhang and the two exchanged a warm hug at the net.

With the win, Gauff became the youngest U.S. Open quarter-finalist since Melanie Oudin in 2009.

She can expect her fans to return when she battles red-hot 17th-seed Garcia in the quarters after she defeated Alison Riske-Amritraj 6-4, 6-1.

American teenager Coco Gauff used her superior speed to overcome a second-set deficit and pull off a thrilling 7-5 7-5 win over China's Zhang Shuai to reach the quarter-finals of the U.

American teenager Coco Gauff used her superior speed to overcome a second-set deficit and pull off a thrilling 7-5 7-5 win over China's Zhang Shuai to reach the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open for the first time. With Serena Williams' loss on Friday night likely signaling the end of her legendary career, American tennis fans are eager to see someone emerge in her place and many have put their hopes on the amiable, hard-serving Gauff. "It feels insane," Gauff said in an on-court interview after sealing the win to set up a showdown with in-form Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia on Tuesday. "I mean, Ashe Stadium chanting my name, I was trying not to smile on the bench on the last changeover, I was trying to stay in the moment. But in my head I was smiling. "I can't believe you guys were chanting like that. It's crazy." In a battle between the youngest player left in the draw, the 18-year-old Gauff, and the oldest, the 33-year-old Zhang, it was the Chinese player who looked sharper at the outset, breaking for a 2-0 lead in the first set. Also Read: US Open - Nick Kyrgios knocks defending champion Daniil Medvedev out But 12th seed Gauff kept her poise to break back and fired a two-handed backhand winner to claim the first set and electrify the supportive crowd. Zhang, a human backboard content to extend rallies from the baseline, grabbed a 5-3 lead in the second when she broke Gauff with a backhand winner of her own. But Gauff again showed maturity beyond her years, winning the last four games highlighted by an electrifying point in the final game where she used her astonishing speed to slide from corner to corner to elicit an error from Zhang. The crowd roared in approval after the point and Zhang covered her ears to block out the sound, which was amplified by the closed roof on Arthur Ashe Stadium due to rain. Also Read: 'I always root for him': Coco Gauff backs Australian ace Nick Kyrgios to win US Open 2022 Gauff sealed the nearly two-hour affair on an error by Zhang and the two exchanged a warm hug at the net. With the win, Gauff became the youngest U.S. Open quarter-finalist since Melanie Oudin in 2009. She can expect her fans to return when she battles red-hot 17th-seed Garcia in the quarters after she defeated Alison Riske-Amritraj 6-4, 6-1.

Coco Gauff races into US Open quarters with win over Chna's Zhang Shuai

American teenage sensation Coco Gauff revealed she always roots for Australian ace Nick Kyrgios as she backed him to go far in the ongoing US Open 2022 and win the title. Kyrgios, who is gunning for his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open, has had a tremendous season so far and has already booked his spot in the 4th round at Flushing Meadows.

Kyrgios defeated America JJ Wolf comfortably 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 on Saturday to storm into the third round of the competition where he will be up against defending champion Daniil Medvedev on Monday. Kyrgios had gotten the better of Medvedev in Montreal last month after the Russian had knocked him out of the Australian Open earlier this year.

The Australian maverick has been playing some of the best tennis of his career this year and will fancy his chances against the world number one on Monday. Ahead of his blockbuster meeting with Medvedev, Gauff said she will be rooting for the Australian and tipped him to go far in the tournament.

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“If he keeps it up, I think he can go far. He can win the tournament. We all know he has the ability to. He was close at Wimbledon," said 18-year-old Gauf, who herself has qualified for the Round of 16 in the US Open and will be taking on China's Zhang Shuai next.

“I always, always root for him, no matter who he’s playing, to be honest," she added.

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Gauff said she can never dislike Kyrgios while opening up about the great bond she shares with the Australian. She insisted she might not agree with a few things he does on the court but Kyrgios has always stood out to her as a person ever since he first met her at the Miami Open when Gauff was just 13 and spent 30 minutes with her chatting about the game.

“I know there’s things on the court that he does that people don’t agree with. I probably don’t agree with some things," said Gauff.

“Overall, I think he’s a nice person. At least he’s always been to me. I remember I first hit with him, he probably doesn’t remember this, I was 13 years old at Miami Open. He finished his practice, hit with me for, like, 30 minutes.

“It’s just things like that that stands out for me. That’s why I feel like I can never dislike him," she added.

American teenage sensation Coco Gauff revealed she always roots for Australian ace Nick Kyrgios as she backed him to go far in the ongoing US Open 2022 and win the title.

American teenage sensation Coco Gauff revealed she always roots for Australian ace Nick Kyrgios as she backed him to go far in the ongoing US Open 2022 and win the title. Kyrgios, who is gunning for his maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open, has had a tremendous season so far and has already booked his spot in the 4th round at Flushing Meadows. Kyrgios defeated America JJ Wolf comfortably 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 on Saturday to storm into the third round of the competition where he will be up against defending champion Daniil Medvedev on Monday. Kyrgios had gotten the better of Medvedev in Montreal last month after the Russian had knocked him out of the Australian Open earlier this year. The Australian maverick has been playing some of the best tennis of his career this year and will fancy his chances against the world number one on Monday. Ahead of his blockbuster meeting with Medvedev, Gauff said she will be rooting for the Australian and tipped him to go far in the tournament. Also Read: World no.1 Iga Swiatek tames Lauren Davis to reach US Open fourth round “If he keeps it up, I think he can go far. He can win the tournament. We all know he has the ability to. He was close at Wimbledon," said 18-year-old Gauf, who herself has qualified for the Round of 16 in the US Open and will be taking on China's Zhang Shuai next. “I always, always root for him, no matter who he’s playing, to be honest," she added. Also Read: US Open 2022 - Ruthless Rafael Nadal thrashes Richard Gasquet to storm into fourth round Gauff said she can never dislike Kyrgios while opening up about the great bond she shares with the Australian. She insisted she might not agree with a few things he does on the court but Kyrgios has always stood out to her as a person ever since he first met her at the Miami Open when Gauff was just 13 and spent 30 minutes with her chatting about the game. “I know there’s things on the court that he does that people don’t agree with. I probably don’t agree with some things," said Gauff. “Overall, I think he’s a nice person. At least he’s always been to me. I remember I first hit with him, he probably doesn’t remember this, I was 13 years old at Miami Open. He finished his practice, hit with me for, like, 30 minutes. “It’s just things like that that stands out for me. That’s why I feel like I can never dislike him," she added.

'I always root for him': Coco Gauff backs Australian ace Nick Kyrgios to win US Open 2022

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