Coco Gauff battled through a gritty, rollercoaster of a match to defeat compatriot Madison Keys 6–7(6), 6–4, 6–1 and advance to her third Roland-Garros semifinal on Wednesday under the roof of Court Philippe-Chatrier.
Despite a first set riddled with errors and double faults, Gauff’s resilience, athleticism, and relentless defense eventually wore down Keys’ powerful game. The victory made Gauff, 21, the youngest player since Martina Hingis to reach 25 match wins at Roland-Garros.
She will play the sensational French wild card Lois Boisson who defeated World Number 6 Mirra Andreeva 7-6, 6-3 in the other quarter final.
Tactical Tussle: Keys’ Forehand vs Gauff’s Defense
The match hinged on the contrast of styles—Keys with her explosive forehand and Gauff with her court coverage and consistency. Keys struck first, firing off a barrage of winners—including a 160 km/h forehand—en route to capturing the first set in a tight tiebreak.
However, the tide shifted as Gauff began neutralizing Keys’ attacks, using her backhand crosscourt to move Keys out of position and forcing her into longer exchanges. As the rallies extended, Keys’ unforced errors mounted.
Gauff, who described Keys’ forehand as “one of the best on tour,” stayed disciplined and refused to be drawn into firefights she couldn’t win. Her strategy paid off handsomely in the second and third sets.
From Struggling Server to Break Machine
Gauff entered the match with the fewest aces (5) and most double faults (21) among the quarter-finalists. The trend continued early—her seventh double fault handed Keys a set point, and she faltered further in the tiebreak with three more.
But Gauff steadied herself in the second and third sets, limiting her double faults to just three more. In the decider, she was rock-solid, winning all 10 of her first-serve points and dropping only two points on serve in total.
What she lacked on serve, she made up for on return. Gauff broke Keys nine times in 15 service games and won a staggering 67% of return points overall—including 12 of 15 on second serve returns in the first set alone. Her return dominance in Paris has been unmatched, winning 34 of 50 return games through five rounds.
Winning Ugly Still Wins
Statistically, it wasn’t Gauff’s cleanest match. She produced just 15 winners compared to 41 unforced errors and was outgunned by Keys’ 25 forehand winners. But her ability to stretch points and force Keys into awkward positions led to a total of 60 unforced errors from her opponent.
Despite the errors and a disappointing first-set tiebreak, Gauff remained upbeat and focused. Her unshakable mentality and elite fitness turned the match around and put her on the front foot when it mattered most.
“I knew I just had to be able to run today,” Gauff said. “And as soon as the ball came short, I had to punish her for it.”
Onward to the Semis
With the victory, Gauff extends her winning streak in deciding sets at Roland-Garros to four and now boasts a 25–5 career record at the tournament. The 2022 finalist remains a serious title contender and is growing in confidence with each round.
“It means a lot, especially getting through this tough match today—it was not easy,” Gauff said. “I still have a lot more work left to do here. I’ll savour this win today and be ready for tomorrow.”
