French Open 2022
Gauff stronger and ready for Trevisan
American says mental strength is key in win, will face revitalised Italian for a berth in final
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PARIS • Teenage star Coco Gauff and Martina Trevisan, a seasoned pro who has rebuilt her career after conquering anorexia, reached their maiden Grand Slam semi-finals at the French Open yesterday.
Gauff, who burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old at Wimbledon three years ago, beat fellow American Sloane Stephens 7-5, 6-2.
Trevisan needed three sets to see off 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez of Canada 6-2, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3.
Victory for world No. 23 Gauff avenged her loss to Stephens at last year's US Open and also erased the pain of her quarter-final defeat by eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova in Paris last year.
"I feel so happy," she said.
"Last year was a tough loss for me but I believe that match made me stronger. Today was different. I stayed mentally strong as she is the kind of player who can make shots others can't do."
Gauff was the junior champion at Roland Garros in 2018 and then rocketed into stardom when she became the youngest woman to qualify for Wimbledon and then went all the way to the fourth round, knocking out former world No. 1 Venus Williams on the way.
While in the French capital, she graduated from high school, marking the occasion on Instagram with a family photo in front of the Eiffel Tower and there could be a double celebration awaiting her should she make the final on Saturday.
"Getting my diploma meant a lot to me," Gauff said. "Lots of players think tennis is the most important thing and it's not."
World No. 59 Trevisan, 10 years older than Gauff, was a shock quarter-finalist in 2020, and was again unseeded coming into Roland Garros. However, she arrived in Paris with a maiden WTA title in Rabat and went into yesterday's tie on a nine-match winning streak.
The Italian made that 10 when she claimed victory on her second match point with Fernandez, last year's US Open finalist, left to rue her 44 unforced errors.
"I was very nervous on that first match point, I thought I was already in the semi-final," said Trevisan, the first Italian woman to make the last four since Sara Errani in 2012.
Two years ago, she eliminated Gauff in the second round here. She then revealed how she had an eating disorder as a teen after her father fell gravely ill. The pair will meet in the last four tomorrow.
In the men's draw, Marin Cilic crushed second-ranked Daniil Medvedev 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 on Monday night. He will take on seventh seed Andrey Rublev today for a place in the semi-finals.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
FRENCH OPEN
Q-finals: Singtel TV Ch126 & StarHub Ch213, 4.50pm & Ch127 & Ch211, 5.50pm & tomorrow, 3am
