Coco Gauff advances to the US Open semifinals after overcoming Mirra Andreeva, saving two match points.
Published On 9 Sep 2026
American Coco Gauff saved two match points to defeat Russian fifth seed Mirra Andreeva 2‑6, 7‑6 (7), 6‑2 on Wednesday, securing a place in the US Open semifinals after a sluggish start.
The 2023 champion struggled early, appearing on the brink in the tiebreak before turning the tide with a forehand winner and dropping her racket in relief and joy.
She will meet second‑seed Elena Rybakina in the semifinals.
“The match was about fighting,” Gauff said.
Andreeva looked completely at home on New York City’s Arthur Ashe Stadium, sprinting through the first four games and denying Gauff any break‑point opportunities; the set featured only five unforced errors for Andreeva versus 14 for Gauff.
Taking a locker‑room break between sets, Gauff drew inspiration from compatriot Frances Tiafoe, who rallied from two sets down and a mid‑match slump on Tuesday night to reach the men’s semifinals.
“I needed to reset. I wasn’t feeling the ball and was handing her too many free points,” Gauff said. “I thought about Frances Tiafoe’s comeback yesterday, and we all want to perform well in front of this crowd.”
Gauff regained momentum in the second set and was serving for the match in the ninth game when her serve faltered, producing three double faults that allowed Andreeva to break back.
Undeterred, Gauff steadied herself, executing a perfectly placed backhand that produced a 39‑shot rally, saving two match points before sealing the third set with a forehand down the line that Andreeva could not return.
She maintained the tempo, and Andreeva hurled her racket onto her bench in disgust after losing her serve in the third game of the decider; Gauff broke her to love in the seventh game, effectively ending the contest.
She faces a formidable opponent in Rybakina, who earlier in the day claimed the world’s top ranking with a victory over China’s Zheng Qinwen.
Gauff and the Kazakh second seed are level at one win each in their career head‑to‑head, with Rybakina prevailing in their most recent semifinal meeting in Toronto last month.
“Elena is now the new world number one, so it will be a tough match,” Gauff said. “I’m looking forward to the battle; these are the moments we live for.”