For most of the past year, one of Coco Gauf’s clearest goals was to grow and progress at his own pace, ignoring all the hype and expectations. But Gauff, 18, graduated from high school a little over a week ago and advanced to his first semifinal of the French Open on Tuesday.
With a solid performance under tremendous pressure, she was too strong for her friend and compatriot American Sloane Stevens, winning 7-5, 6-2. Gauff will have a huge chance to reach the final as he faces unbeaten Martina Trevisan of Italy, who upset Leila Fernandez 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-3 as the Canadian struggled with a right leg injury. .
Gauff and Stevens, 29, go far back. As Gauff grew up surrounded by noise, Stevens watched her grow from a premature eight-year-old to an adult with extensive touring experience. She would be attending some of Gauff’s birthdays, and they knew each other’s families well. Here they played with so much on the line. This pitted two of the best athletes in the game against each other, but Gauff overtook Stevens in numerous long rallies and remained steadfast as each tried to find his way through the other’s defense. She served well when she needed it most and brought Stevens forward with regular drop shots, showcasing the variety that has become central to her game.
Above all, Gauf hit his forehand as well as in any of his big matches. During her young career, Gauf’s forehand became a big target for all players, aiming to accelerate her complex swing with depth and pace, but it was Gauf who often pushed Stevens back with his heavy topspin as he constantly tried to dictate and finish. points.
Martina Trevisan threw her rocket in honor of her victory over Leila Fernandez. Photo: Ryan Pierce / Getty Images
At that time last year, Gauff reached his first quarterfinal of the Grand Slam in Paris, where he faced eventual champion Barbora Kreichikova. In the first set, Gauff had many set points that he failed to convert before dropping out mentally. This week, Gauff mentioned this game many times as one of the most important steps in her growth, explaining that she has learned not to panic in those moments.
In a tense second set that included several tight games on her serve, a long pause after a spectator fell ill and two double faults as she failed to serve the match at 5-1, Gauff took these lessons to heart and she remained calm through all the while, rejecting the pressure to continue his march through the draw without missing a set.
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In an interview after the match, Gauff was asked by former champion Mats Wilander about the noise that has been following her since she was a child. Her answer reflects the perspective she has gathered during her three years at the top. “Obviously I believe in myself,” she said. “Even last year, I think I was too focused on trying to meet other people’s expectations of me. Just enjoy life. No matter how good or bad my career is, I think I am a great person and this is a message to all young players. Your results, or your work, or how much money you make, does not define you as a person. While you love yourself, who cares what others think? “
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