Coco Gauff is into the French Open semifinals after beating countrywoman Sloane Stephens, reaching the final four of a major in singles for the first time.
Gauff, an 18-year-old ranked No. 23, beat the 2017 U.S. Open champion Stephens 7-5, 6-2 to reach a Thursday semifinal against 59th-ranked Martina Trevisan of Italy.
Also Tuesday, No. 3 men’s seed Alexander Zverev ousted 19-year-old phenom Carlos Alcaraz of Spain. Zverev beat the sixth seed 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7) for his first top-10 win at a Grand Slam in his 12th try. Zverev will play the Novak Djokovic-Rafael Nadal winner in Friday’s semifinals.
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Gauff, who hasn’t dropped a set in five matches, continued her progression at majors, from the 2019 Wimbledon fourth round at age 15 and the 2021 French Open quarterfinals at 17. She can become the youngest Grand Slam singles finalist since 17-year-old Maria Sharapova at 2004 Wimbledon.
Gauff reflected on that 2021 quarterfinal, when she squandered five set points in the first set and was swept by eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic.
“Last year, I think I was too focused on trying to fulfill other people’s expectations,” Gauff said in an on-court interview. “Last year in the quarterfinal, it was a tough loss for me, and I think that match really made me stronger to better prepare for moments like today and the moments that I will face in the next round.”
Trevisan knocked out U.S. Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez of Canada 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-3. Fernandez took a medical timeout in the first set and had her right foot wrapped.
“Today was definitely hard luck,” Fernandez said. “I did feel [the injury] before the match, but I didn’t think much of it.”
Trevisan, a 28-year-old in her first major semi, beat Gauff in their lone previous head-to-head -- 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 at the 2020 French Open.
“I think I’m playing my best of tennis, but I think could be better,” Trevisan said.
The other women’s quarterfinals are Wednesday: No. 1 Iga Swiatek vs. No. 11 Jessica Pegula and an all-Russian matchup between No. 20 Daria Kasatkina and No. 29 Veronika Kudermatova.
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