CNN
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Coco Gauff continued her run of emphatic victories on the US Open on Tuesday, breezing previous Jelena Ostapenko in straight units.
The world No. 6 didn’t lose a sport within the opening set earlier than wrapping up a convincing 6-0 6-2 victory to e book her first ever semifinal spot on the US Open.
With most of the prime seeds within the girls’s draw having already been knocked out, Gauff stays one of many few favorites nonetheless left.
Gauff, 19, will now face both Sorana Cîrstea or this yr’s French Open runner-up Karolína Muchová within the subsequent spherical.
“I’m so completely happy,” Gauff mentioned in her on-court interview after the win. “Final yr I misplaced within the quarterfinals. I’m completely happy and able to get again to work on the subsequent one.”
The American confronted a tough problem in opposition to the resurgent Ostapenko after the Latvian beat defending champion Iga Świątek within the earlier spherical.
However, enjoying in entrance of a house crowd, Gauff confirmed no indicators of nerves as she dominated her opponent to win the primary set in simply 20 minutes.
Ostapenko, who gained the French Open again in 2017, got here out within the second set with much more aggression, successful two video games to keep away from a complete whitewash.
In the long run, although, the annoyed Latvian proved no match for Gauff as she was punished for making constant errors.
Whereas the outcome appears to be like emphatic on paper, Gauff was nonetheless made to work for her win.
Ostapenko saved two match factors as Gauff appeared to complete the tie, however the American was finally capable of clinch the win with an correct forehand to seal her tenth consecutive victory.
“Actually, I didn’t really feel snug in any respect throughout the match – even on the match factors,” Gauff added.
“I do know the sport [Ostapenko] performs. She has the flexibility to come back again irrespective of the scoreline, so I used to be simply making an attempt to get each level, put each ball in.
“It’s actually powerful in opposition to her as a result of you possibly can’t actually be aggressive, so I used to be making an attempt my finest to be aggressive once I may, and more often than not I used to be simply making an attempt to get the ball deep. She’s a tricky participant and she or he had an ideal match.”
With the victory, Gauff turns into the primary American teenager to achieve the US Open semifinals since Serena Williams in 2001.
It’s additionally simply the second time in Gauff’s profession that she has made it to the semifinal stage of a grand slam – the final coming on the French Open in 2022, the place she finally misplaced within the closing to Świątek.
After triumphing in opposition to Świątek within the earlier spherical, Ostapenko was not proud of the quantity of relaxation time she was allotted in between the spectacular victory and her match in opposition to Gauff.
“I imply, if I play a match, like, a late-night session, then I suppose, in in the future, I’ve to play no less than on the similar time or afterward since you don’t actually have a lot time to get well,” Ostapenko informed reporters after her loss. “I feel it was higher for her the schedule as a result of, clearly, she performed a lot earlier the day I performed the night time session.”
The 26-year-old added that she was certain she was going to face Gauff within the night time session.
“The factor was that, once I requested the day earlier than, I used to be fairly certain I’m gonna play at night time session as a result of that’s what they informed me. When the schedule got here out, I noticed I’m enjoying first match and was, like, ‘Wow, that’s somewhat bit unusual scheduling,’” Ostapenko added.
“Yeah, once I noticed the schedule I used to be somewhat bit shocked, not in a very great way.”
CNN reached out to the US Tennis Affiliation about Ostapenko’s feedback however has not acquired a response on the time of publishing.
Gauff now has an enormous alternative at Flushing Meadows.
Monday’s motion noticed Świątek, the No. 1 seed, Jessica Pegula, the No. 3 seed, and Ons Jabeur, the No. 5 seed, all exit the match, leaving Gauff and No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka as the 2 highest remaining seeds left within the girls’s draw.
And with some convincing victories beneath her belt already in New York, Gauff has arguably her finest probability to win her maiden grand slam title.
The highest seed left within the draw, Sabalenka, will face rising Chinese language star Zheng Qinwen – who’s having fun with a profession finest run at a grand slam after comfortably upsetting final yr’s finalist Jabeur in straight units within the round-of-16 – within the quarterfinals.
Świątek’s early exit means Sabalenka will change into the brand new world No. 1 on Monday, the primary time in her profession she has held the highest spot within the rankings, along with her ascension coming after a outstanding yr wherein she gained three titles, together with her first grand slam on the Australian Open.
Sabalenka says she is at the moment “enjoying nice tennis” however is aware of there are “at all times issues to enhance” as she anticipates a tough match in opposition to Zheng.
“We practiced along with her a few instances,” she informed reporters after Monday’s win over Daria Kasatkina. “She’s enjoying actually nice tennis. [Her] forehand is basically heavy, I’d say backhand as effectively. Serving effectively. Shifting effectively.
“It’s like she’s bought nothing to lose, so she’s enjoying at her finest. She performed nice tennis in opposition to Ons – I haven’t watched her earlier matches, however, yeah, she’s enjoying nice tennis proper now.
“The trickiest half is that she’s shifting effectively, enjoying some heavy photographs. I’ve to be bodily and mentally prepared that there are going to be some winners in opposition to me in that match.
“I simply should concentrate on myself greater than on her. I do know if I’ll convey my tennis there, I’ve an opportunity to win this match.”
