COCO GAUFF REACHES SEMI-FINALS WITH STIRRING COMEBACK VICTORY OVER ONS JABEUR AT ROLAND-GARROS…

Coco Gauff reached the semi-finals of the French Open with a superb come-from-behind victory over Ons Jabeur. The American beat the Tunisian 4-6 6-2 6-3 on Court Philippe-Chatrier, upping her levels after a poor first set that saw the world No. 9 dictate play.

However, the third seed rallied, reaching another semi-final in Paris. She will play Marketa Vondrousova or Iga Swiatek in the last four.

However, Gauff turned the aggressor at 2-1 in the second set, stepping in to unleash her brilliant backhand and notch a break of her own.

Jabeur broke back immediately, but Gauff’s advantage was restored to love in the following game, with the American building on her 4-2 lead to stave off a late fightback from the world No.

9 to reach the semi-final stage in Paris for a second time.

Gauff, a finalist at Roland-Garros in 2022, will face Iga Swiatek or Marketa Vondrousova in the last four.

The pair continued to trade service holds until the seventh game, when Jabeur began to come into her own and find her groove; really hitting the depths of the court off both flanks, including a delicious backhand winner with both feet off the ground to pile on the pressure at deuce.

A couple of errors from Gauff ceded the break, and the momentum was with the Tunisian, who was in the quarter-finals of Roland-Garros for the second time.
She’s a tough opponent and she’s well-loved on tour,” Gauff said afterwards.

“I can tell by the crowd that [they] wanted her to win. When she’s playing, I cheer for her too. Thank you guys for making it a good atmosphere.

The people up there made it really fun for me.
“I like playing in environments like this, even though you guys were for Ons. I had a lot of fun even when I lost the first set, and they were chanting. When I was in the bathroom, I was like, ‘This is really fun, win or lose.’. There were two people behind my bench cheering for me.

Not loudly, but I could hear them and it helped me. I know I have a lot of love here in Paris. Trust me, I know. I really appreciate it, and hopefully you guys can help me make it through the next round
“There were two people behind my bench cheering for me. Not loudly, but I could hear them and it helped me.

I know I have a lot of love here in Paris. Trust me, I know. I really appreciate it, and hopefully you guys can help me make it through the next round.

“I was definitely trying to be more aggressive. She was playing really well the whole match, and she was hitting a lot of winners on me, which is something I’m not used to against anybody.

“Today, I was just trying to be aggressive towards the end. I got a bit tight on the last couple of match points. I think I did what I needed to do to win the match.”