INDIAN WELLS – Third seed Coco Gauff served up 17 double faults, but still managed to beat China’s Yuan Yue 6-4, 6-3 at Indian Wells on March 14 to reach the semi-finals in the Californian desert for the first time.
A day after her 20th birthday, the American had to rally from 3-1 down in the second set before setting up a clash with ninth seed Maria Sakkari, who ended Emma Navarro’s run with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 win.
“I’m really happy to be through today’s match,” said the US Open champion.
“It wasn’t the best style of the serving but, overall, when it comes to the groundstroke game and returns, everything else, honestly I played well. I’ll just try and take the positives into the next match.”
Gauff, who said she celebrated her birthday with steak tacos, saved seven of 10 break points, including three to avoid going 4-1 down in the second set.
“I pretty much just relied on me just out-rallying her and being aggressive. I think a lot of break points that were saved, at least in that second set, I just remember hitting a lot of forehand winners,” she added.
Gauff joined Iga Swiatek and Caroline Wozniacki as the only players to reach five WTA 1000 semi-finals before the age of 21.
Top seed Swiatek earlier also reached the last four after ex-world No. 1 Wozniacki retired with a foot injury early in the second set.
Wozniacki started strongly as she raced into a 4-1 lead, but she was soon left frustrated as Swiatek produced a barrage of winners to storm back and win the set 6-4.
The 33-year-old Dane, who returned to the circuit in 2023 after taking a three-year break to start a family, had a medical timeout to have her right foot re-strapped at the end of the first set.
That failed to improve the situation, however, and she gestured to her opponent that she was unable to continue once Swiatek had taken a 1-0 lead in the second.
“I have a huge respect for her and I’m sad she has to go that way, I’m sure she will recover and I hope she will be ready for Miami (Open),” Swiatek said.
Swiatek, winner in 2022, will face Marta Kostyuk in the semi-finals after the Ukrainian defeated Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 7-5.
“Let’s not put expectations too high,” the world No. 32 said of facing the 22-year-old Polish star, a four-time Grand Slam champion.
“She’s a great competitor, she’s been on top of the game for two years already.” REUTERS
