Coco Gauff continues Miami Open surge, climbs into first final
Coco Gauff lost her first game, but replied with dominance, beating Karolina Muchova in straight sets Thursday to make her first Miami Open final.
American Coco Gauff will compete in her first Miami Open women's singles final Saturday in Miami Gardens, Fla. Photo Cristobal Herrera-Ulashkevich/EPA MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. , March 26 (UPI) -- Coco Gauff injected frenetic pace into her first Miami Open semifinal appearance, leaping for brawny backhands while erasing space with quick hips and sizzling sprints in a straight-sets win Thursday over Karolina Muchova.
The top-ranked American (No. 4) dropped the first game on a broken serve, but proceeded to win the next 10 to wrestle back control for the 6-1, 6-1 triumph at Hard Rock Stadium. "Super excited to be in the final at this tournament," Gauff said in her on court interview.
"The whole week I didn't expect to be here, but just really happy. "I have been trying to find the joy in the sport and I had fun. " Gauff, who needed three sets to win each of her first four matches of the tournament, earned match point off her sixth converted break point, with Muchova netting her final forehand.
"I think today was a bit more straight forward, but this week has been a lot of long matches," Gauff said. "Through the battle, I was having fun. "It is nice to get through in two sets.