Contrasting goals for first-timers

NEW YORK - Russia's Karen Khachanov and Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia are both on a high after reaching their maiden Grand Slam semi-final on Tuesday.

One believes that he has "nothing to lose" from here onwards, and the other has a point to prove.

Khachanov set up a US Open last-four duel with Casper Ruud when he battled past a "devastated" Nick Kyrgios in a big-hitting five-setter, shattering the Australian crowd-pleaser's dreams of winning a first Slam title.

The 27th seed triumphed 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4 over the Wimbledon runner-up.

Earlier, Norwegian fifth seed Ruud defeated Italy's Matteo Berrettini 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) to make his second Slam semi-final of 2022, having finished runner-up to Rafael Nadal at the French Open.

Khachanov fired 30 aces and a total of 63 winners past Kyrgios.

"I did it, guys. Finally, you are showing me some love," he told the mostly pro-Kyrgios crowd in Arthur Ashe Stadium.

"It was a crazy match. But I was expecting it would be like this. I'm ready to run, to fight and to play five sets. We played for almost four hours and that's the only way to beat Nick."

He added that he will go all out when he faces Ruud on Friday.

"I would like to win it," said Khachanov, who lost to the Norwegian on clay in Rome in 2020 in their only previous meeting.

"But as deep as you go the expectations rise up. I did the step forward, I made my first semi-final and I think I have nothing to lose.

"I just want to go for it and be ready for the next match and hopefully it will be a good one."

Kyrgios, who had knocked out defending champion Daniil Medvedev in the round of 16, hit 31 aces in his 75 winners. But his unforced error count of 58 was almost double the 31 of Khachanov.

"I'm devastated. It's heartbreaking for me and everyone," he said.

"I feel like I have let so many people down."

In the women's draw, Garcia is relishing the opportunity to end a six-match losing streak stretching back to junior level when she faces Ons Jabeur on Thursday.

The in-form Frenchwoman also advanced to the last four of a Slam for the first time, with a comprehensive 6-3, 6-4 victory over 12th-seeded American teenager Coco Gauff at Arthur Ashe.

The win leaves the 17th seed facing a familiar foe in the shape of Tunisia's fifth seed Jabeur next.

The two women have met six times in the Majors - four times as juniors and twice as professionals - and Jabeur has won all six.

"It was really a challenge for me to play her in juniors," Garcia said.

"She was a rare kind of style. A few times she stopped me on my way to get a Slam in juniors.

"In juniors, it was really rare to play someone doing so many drop shots, slicing in the backhand. She was really changing a lot the balls. It was really rare in the juniors.

"She was very tricky already to play - now she's even more."

Since coming back from a foot injury in May, Garcia has won three events on three different surfaces - on clay in Warsaw, where she beat world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, grass in Bad Homburg, and the hard courts at the Cincinnati Open.

She has yet to drop a set in New York. Tuesday's win was her sixth straight over a top-20 player and her 13th consecutive victory.

"I always played very aggressive and the last couple of months I feel healthy again and I've been able to move and practise the way I want," added Garcia.

"I just go for my shots even when I'm stressed or when I don't feel it. The way to improve for me is to move forward and I just try to follow that way."

AFP, REUTERS

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US OPEN

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