The Tiafoe Mode: Gauff Saves Two Match Points to Reach Her First US Open Semifinal Since the Title

Coco Gauff achieved her 11th consecutive win and 46th of the season, advancing to her seventh Grand Slam semifinal. Among active players, only Venus Williams (12) and Serena Williams (10) have reached more Grand Slam semifinals before turning 23. Gauff maintains a perfect 6-0 record against Mirra Andreeva and has never lost a Grand Slam match to a younger opponent, with this victory extending that streak to seven matches.

Remarkably, for the first time at a Grand Slam since Wimbledon in 2009, the women's semifinals feature the top four seeds: Aryna Sabalenka (No. 1), Elena Rybakina (No. 2), Jessica Pegula (No. 3), and Coco Gauff (No. 4). Seventeen years prior, the semifinalists were Dinara Safina, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Elena Dementieva.

Not a Clean Match

The match was not without its challenges for either player. Gauff served 12 double faults and secured only 38% of points on her second serve. Both competitors committed an equal number of unforced errors, with 42 each. The deciding factor was Gauff's effectiveness at the net; she approached the net 28 times and won 19 of those points, while Andreeva won six out of her 17 net approaches.

Andreeva had anticipated Gauff's aggressive play, having noted on Monday that Gauff had been coming to the net more often and playing with increased aggression earlier in the tournament.

Andreeva, the Roland-Garros champion, was competing in her first US Open quarterfinal and her first at a hard-court major. Her path to this stage included victories over Janice Tjen (6-2, 6-2), Eva Lys (6-0, 6-2), Nikola Bartunkova (6-2, 7-6 (5)), and No. 24 seed Anastasia Potapova (5-7, 6-4, 6-3). All four of her career defeats at the US Open have now come against American opponents.

Gauff reached the quarterfinals by defeating Zeynep Sonmez (6-3, 6-4), Cristina Bucsa (6-3, 6-4), Paula Badosa (6-4, 7-6 (5)), and fellow American No. 14 seed Iva Jovic (6-1, 6-4).

US Open 2026 Quarterfinal Results (Women's Singles)

A. Sabalenka [1] def. L. Noskova [6]: 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(7)
J. Pegula [3] def. E. Navarro [26]: 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
C. Gauff [4] def. M. Andreeva [5]: 2-6, 7-6(7), 6-2
Q. Zheng (Q) def. E. Rybakina [2]: 3-6, 6-1, 6-4

English Translation and Paraphrasing

The Tiafoe Mode: Gauff Saves Two Match Points to Reach Her First US Open Semifinal Since Title

Coco Gauff secured her 11th consecutive victory and 46th win of the season, advancing to her seventh Grand Slam semifinal. Among active players, only Venus Williams (12) and Serena Williams (10) have reached more major semifinals before the age of 23. Gauff maintains a perfect 6-0 record against Mirra Andreeva and has never lost a Grand Slam match to a younger opponent, extending this remarkable streak to seven.

In a significant turn of events, the women's semifinals at this Grand Slam will feature the top four seeds for the first time since Wimbledon in 2009. The lineup includes Aryna Sabalenka (No. 1), Elena Rybakina (No. 2), Jessica Pegula (No. 3), and Coco Gauff (No. 4). Seventeen years ago, the semifinalists were Dinara Safina, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Elena Dementieva.

A Challenging Evening

The match was a hard-fought battle for both players. Gauff double-faulted 12 times and struggled on her second serve, winning only 38% of those points. Both players made an identical 42 unforced errors. The key difference lay in their net play: Gauff was aggressive, venturing to the net 28 times and winning 19 of those points, while Andreeva won just six of her 17 approaches.

Andreeva had anticipated Gauff's aggressive strategy, having observed Gauff's increased net play and more assertive approach earlier in the tournament.

Andreeva, the reigning Roland-Garros champion, was competing in her first US Open quarterfinal and her debut at a hard-court major. Her journey to this stage included wins over Janice Tjen (6-2, 6-2), Eva Lys (6-0, 6-2), Nikola Bartunkova (6-2, 7-6 (5)), and the 24th-seeded Anastasia Potapova (5-7, 6-4, 6-3). All four of her career losses at this tournament have now been against American players.

Gauff's path to the final eight included victories over Zeynep Sonmez (6-3, 6-4), Cristina Bucsa (6-3, 6-4), Paula Badosa (6-4, 7-6 (5)), and fellow American Iva Jovic, the 14th seed (6-1, 6-4).

US Open 2026, Women's Singles Quarterfinal Results

A. Sabalenka [1] def. L. Noskova [6]: 7-6(1), 3-6, 7-6(7)
J. Pegula [3] def. E. Navarro [26]: 3-6, 6-4, 6-3
C. Gauff [4] def. M. Andreeva [5]: 2-6, 7-6(7), 6-2
Q. Zheng (Q) def. E. Rybakina [2]: 3-6, 6-1, 6-4