Coco Gauff advanced to the French Open semi-finals after overcoming fellow American Madison Keys in a rollercoaster quarter-final on Wednesday. Despite losing the first set in a tense tie-break, Gauff showed resilience and composure, eventually prevailing 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-1. The match, played on Court Philippe-Chatrier, was marred by nerves and inconsistency from both players, featuring 14 double-faults and 101 unforced errors combined.
Keys started strong, taking the first set despite squandering a 4-1 double-break lead. Gauff, however, regrouped in the second set, capitalizing on a break-filled exchange to level the match. After trading breaks again, Gauff seized the momentum when Keys faltered late in the set. The final set saw Gauff settle into her rhythm while Keys struggled to keep pace, culminating in a decisive break to love as Keys mishit a forehand.
With this hard-fought win, Gauff booked her spot in the semi-finals at Roland Garros for the second consecutive year. She will face either 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva or world number 361 Lois Boisson for a chance to return to the final, where she was runner-up to Iga Swiatek in 2022. Gauff, the reigning US Open champion, expressed excitement about the result but emphasized there’s still work to do as she eyes her first French Open title.
