Coco Gauff units up US Open semifinal with Elena Rybakina after saving two match factors in opposition to Mirra Andreeva.
Revealed On 9 Sep 2026
American Coco Gauff saved two match factors to beat Russian fifth seed Mirra Andreeva 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2 on Wednesday and attain the US Open semi-finals after recovering from a dreadful opening set.
The 2023 champion had none of her regular firepower at first and was on the ropes within the tiebreak earlier than she flipped the script and closed out the match with a forehand strike, dropping her racket to the courtroom in pleasure and aid.
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She faces second seed Elena Rybakina within the semi-finals.
“The motto of the match was simply to battle,” mentioned Gauff.
Andreeva appeared fully at residence in New York Metropolis’s Arthur Ashe Stadium as she sprinted via the primary 4 video games, by no means permitting Gauff to arrange a break-point likelihood within the opening set the place the Russian had simply 5 unforced errors to 14 from her opponent.
Gauff, who took a break within the locker room between units, took inspiration from her compatriot Frances Tiafoe, who recovered from two units and a breakdown on Tuesday night time to succeed in the semi-finals on the boys’s aspect.
“I simply needed to reset. I got here out not feeling the ball, giving her too many free factors,” mentioned Gauff. “I used to be fascinated about Frances Tiafoe and the way he got here again yesterday. And all of us need to do effectively in entrance of this crowd.”
Gauff lastly discovered some momentum within the second set and was serving for the match within the ninth sport when outdated points together with her serve resurfaced. She produced three double faults, permitting her opponent to interrupt again.
Undeterred, Gauff recovered her poise and deployed a superbly positioned backhand to win a 39-shot rally, twice saving match level earlier than forcing the third set with a forehand shot to the nook that Andreeva couldn’t comprise.
She saved up the tempo from there, and Andreeva flung her racket at her bench in disgust after dropping her serve within the third sport of the decider. Gauff broke her to like within the seventh sport to place the competition fully out of attain.
She faces a formidable foe in Rybakina, who claimed the highest rating with a win earlier within the day over Zheng Qinwen of China.
Gauff and the Kazakh second seed have one win apiece in profession head-to-head, with Rybakina successful their most up-to-date encounter within the semi-finals in Toronto final month.
“Elena – she’s the brand new world primary so it’s going to be a tricky match,” mentioned Gauff. “I’m trying ahead to the battle. These are the moments you reside for.”
