Fourth seed Coco Gauff managed to secure a spot in the Australian Open semi-finals, overcoming a challenging performance against Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk in a hard-fought match.
In a match where her performance fell short of expectations, the 19-year-old American secured victory with a scoreline of 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (4-7), 6-2.
Gauff, the US Open champion, struggled with 51 unforced errors and only 17 winners throughout the match. Overcoming a 5-1 deficit in the first set and facing difficulty serving out the second, she maintained composure in the decisive third set.
The American will face either Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals. Reflecting on her performance, Gauff expressed pride in her resilience, stating, “Marta is a tough opponent, and always makes it hard. I fought and left it all on the court.”
Defending champion Sabalenka, who lost to Gauff in the US Open final, has yet to drop a set in Melbourne. The outcome of the quarter-final clash between Sabalenka and Krejcikova will determine Gauff’s opponent in the semi-finals.
The women’s singles draw, marked by early exits of high-profile players, has created opportunities for emerging talents. The other quarter-finals featuring players like Zheng Qinwen, Anna Kalinskaya, Dayana Yastremska, and Linda Noskova will take place on Wednesday.
Gauff’s recent resurgence, marked by confidence and improved performance, faced a test against Kostyuk. The three-hour contest, filled with 107 unforced errors, saw Gauff breaking serve nine times, including three crucial breaks in the deciding set.
Acknowledging her past struggles, Gauff highlighted her determination, saying, “I was just trying to get one more game in the first set, make it competitive, and then one game turned into another.”
Kostyuk, playing in her first major quarter-final, expressed pride in her performance, hoping it serves as a reminder of the ongoing situation in Ukraine. She shared poignant insights into the challenges faced by those in Ukraine, emphasizing the impact of the war on their daily lives.
Reported By BBC Sports
