Queens, NY — Coco Gauff once again found a way to survive when her U.S. Open run appeared to be slipping away.
The third-seeded American erased two match points in a dramatic second-set tiebreak before rallying past French Open champion Mirra Andreeva 2-6, 7-6 (7), 6-2 in a gripping quarterfinal Wednesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The victory extended Gauff’s winning streak to 11 matches and sent the 2023 U.S. Open champion back to the semifinals, where she will meet No. 2 seed Elena Rybakina on Sept. 10. The other semifinal will feature top seed Aryna Sabalenka against third-seeded Jessica Pegula.
Gauff’s path to victory was anything but straightforward.
Andreeva stormed out of the gates, winning the first seven points and immediately putting Gauff under pressure. Gauff struggled to find her rhythm on serve, dropping her opening two service games and falling behind 4-0 in barely 12 minutes.
The Russian teenager capitalized on Gauff’s mistakes and never allowed her opponent to settle. Andreeva closed out the opening set in just 26 minutes, putting the American in an early hole.
Gauff responded in the second set, but her own inconsistencies continued to threaten her comeback.
She built a 5-3 advantage and had the opportunity to serve out the set, only to produce three of her 12 double faults in the game. Andreeva seized the opening, broke back and forced another tiebreak in what had become an increasingly tense battle.
With the match hanging in the balance, Gauff delivered her best tennis when she needed it most.
The second-set tiebreak included a grueling 39-shot exchange, with Gauff eventually gaining the narrowest of advantages. Even after another unforced error gave Andreeva an opening, Gauff refused to fold.
Andreeva earned two match points, but Gauff saved both.
On the final one, Andreeva’s return of a Gauff forehand floated weakly into the net, allowing Gauff to finally close out an 80-minute second set and force a deciding set.
The momentum had completely shifted.
Gauff carried her newfound confidence into the third set while Andreeva’s frustration began to show. After being broken, Andreeva bounced her racket against the court as she headed toward her bench, a visible sign of the pressure that had begun to overwhelm her.
The contrast between the two players became even more pronounced late in the match. While Gauff remained composed, Andreeva’s errors mounted, particularly during her final service game.
Four consecutive forehand errors left Andreeva on the brink, and another forehand volley sailed away to end her U.S. Open run.
Gauff dropped her racket, threw her hands into the air and let out a triumphant scream as Arthur Ashe Stadium erupted around her.
The loss continued a difficult trend for Andreeva at Flushing Meadows. All four of her career defeats at the U.S. Open have come against American opponents, including Gauff, who defeated her during the teenager’s run to the 2023 championship.
For Gauff, the latest comeback keeps alive her bid for another U.S. Open title—and sends her into the semifinals with plenty of momentum after surviving one of the tournament’s most dramatic quarterfinals.
