Coco Gauff reached the US Open women’s semi-finals after a turbulent quarter-final against fifth-seeded Mirra Andreeva at Arthur Ashe Stadium, according to the Guardian. The 22-year-old American, who had cruised through the earlier rounds, found herself in serious trouble almost from the outset before rallying to win in three sets.

The match began badly for Gauff, who dropped the first four games and surrendered the opening set in just 26 minutes. That result ended a streak of 20 consecutive sets won that dated back nearly a month, underlining how sharply her form dipped in the early stages of the contest.

Gauff’s problems were compounded by errors across the match. She piled up 12 double faults and 42 unforced errors, with the majority coming off a forehand that the Guardian described as in open revolt. Despite the mounting mistakes, she continued to search for solutions on court.

The most precarious moment came in a tense second-set tiebreaker, where Gauff found herself one point from defeat not once but twice. Surviving those points proved pivotal, allowing her to extend the match and eventually turn it around.

The Guardian noted that while Gauff has played far cleaner matches, few players on the women’s tour today have become better at finding answers when almost nothing is working for them. Her ability to problem-solve under pressure was central to the escape.

Gauff drew on self-belief to steady herself, an approach the Guardian characterised as bordering on ‘delusional’ confidence, alongside inspiration linked to fellow American Frances Tiafoe. The victory books her place in the semi-finals despite one of her scrappier performances of the tournament.