Coco Gauff Advances to French Open Semifinals After Thrilling Victory Over Madison Keys

In a gripping match at the French Open, Coco Gauff triumphed over fellow American Madison Keys, securing her place in the semifinals with a scoreline of 6-7 (6), 6-4, 6-1. This victory marks Gauff's third appearance in the semifinals of a Grand Slam tournament.

The match was characterized by an array of unforced errors, as both players struggled with consistency. Together, they recorded a staggering 101 unforced errors, while only managing 40 winners throughout the contest, which lasted more than two hours under a closed roof at Court Philippe-Chatrier on a damp and chilly day.

Both players experienced difficulties on serve, resulting in 14 breaks out of the 29 games played. However, after a tight second set that saw Gauff level the match, she gained momentum, winning eight of the final nine games. In her closing set, Gauff made only two unforced errors, including just one double-fault, demonstrating her improvement as the match progressed.

As the second seed in the tournament, Gauff is looking to build on her impressive track record, having won the 2023 U.S. Open and previously finishing as the runner-up at the 2022 French Open. She is set to compete for a spot in the final against either the sixth-seeded Mirra Andreeva or the unseeded French player Loïs Boisson.

The other semifinal will feature a highly anticipated matchup between three-time defending champion Iga Swiatek and the top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka, both of whom advanced following their respective quarterfinal victories.

In last year's tournament, Gauff faced Swiatek in the semifinals, where she was eliminated. Reflecting on her journey, Gauff expressed her determination to continue progressing in the tournament, stating she is focused on the upcoming challenges.

Gauff's performance started off shaky as she fell behind early, trailing 4-1. However, she displayed remarkable resilience, managing to fight back and get closer to taking the first set. Despite her efforts, Gauff struggled with double faults during the tiebreak, ultimately losing the first set and heading to the locker room to regroup.

The match's statistics revealed the struggles both players faced, with Gauff recording seven winners against 21 unforced errors, while Keys had 12 winners accompanied by 28 unforced errors, including numerous faults from her powerful forehand.

Gauff's ability to cover the court and maintain her composure under pressure proved crucial, as she adapted her gameplay to counter Keys' powerful shots. The crowd rallied behind Gauff, providing vocal support throughout the match.

With this victory, Gauff has ended Keys' impressive 11-match winning streak in Grand Slam events, while setting her sights firmly on claiming another major title.