French Caroline Garcia shattered Coco Gauff’s dream of winning her first Grand Slam title. At times, the 28-year-old played well against the American, who was ten years her junior, in the quarter-finals in New York. At 1:36, Garcia converted her first match point to a 6-3, 6-4 win that sealed her first semifinal appearance at a major.
“It’s crazy, there was tremendous energy here,” Garcia said. “I’ve always played very aggressively and for me it’s the way to get better.”
Gauff wanted to follow in Serena Williams’ footsteps and become the youngest American to reach the last four of the US Open since her role model in 1999. But the French Open winner had problems with her opponent from the start.
Gauff ultimately without a chance
Garcia, who triumphed twice in Roland Garros in doubles and was number four in the world in September 2018, started furiously and initially overwhelmed Gauff with power tennis from the baseline. She couldn’t keep the enormously high level, but brought the first set home.
The world rankings-17. also dominated the opening phase in the second set. The audience tried to cheer Gauff up again. But Garcia was too strong for the local hero and, after Amelie Mauresmo (2002 and 2006) and Mary Pierce (2005), became the third French woman to reach the semi-finals at the US Open since the Open Era began in 1968.