Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva and the tennis player’s challenge of getting out of their own way
With the start of the French Open just over two weeks away, the defending champion is doing what she does best. Coco Gauff is scrapping for her wins. The 22-year-old American logged her third straight comeback victory Tuesday in the Italian Open quarterfinals, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, against world No.
7 Mirra Andreeva . She led 5-1 in the final set, but needed five match points to improve to 5-0 against the young Russian. “Honestly, it was tough.
… I know when I play her, she can play great tennis at any moment. But I was also thinking, I saved a match point in the last round, so I could easily not be here today,” Gauff said in her news conference. “I was just trying to appreciate just being here, even if those match points weren’t going my way.
I think it showed in my reaction every time I lost them. ” With the win, Gauff advanced to the semifinals of the Italian Open for the fourth time in her career and for the third consecutive year. It was a triumph over a player with whom Gauff shares much in common these days, beyond their superb defensive skills and prodigious talent that emerged at a young age.
Both Gauff and Andreeva are strong contenders for the Roland Garros title next month, part of a group that includes fellow Italian Open quarterfinalists Elena Rybakina and Iga Świątek , as well as world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka . Both are also in the process of trying to figure out key elements of their games while standing under a harsh spotlight, technically and mentally.
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