Coco Gauff defeats Marta Kostyuk and moves into the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Image: AP
In the quarter-finals in Melbourne, the American beat the Ukrainian Marta Kostjuk after a tough fight and moved into the semi-finals. “It’s always difficult against Marta,” said Gauff after the intense game.
US Open champion Coco Gauff became the first tennis player to reach the semi-finals at the Australian Open. The 19-year-old American won her quarter-final against Ukrainian Marta Kostjuk in Melbourne on Tuesday after a tough fight 7:6 (8:6), 6:7 (3:7), 6:2. Gauff converted her first match point after 3:08 hours.
The world number four will now face either defending champion Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus or Czech Barbora Krejcikova on Thursday. “I’m very proud that I left everything on the pitch today. It’s always difficult against Marta,” said Gauff after the intense game in Melbourne, which was once again very hot on Tuesday.
Gauff had a lot more trouble with Kostyuk than expected. The Ukrainian started furiously in the first Grand Slam quarter-final of her career and quickly moved away to 5-1. But Gauff, who had already won the WTA tournament in Auckland before the Australian Open, fought back. The American fended off two set points and won the first round in the tiebreak.
David Lindenfeld, Melbourne Published/Updated: Recommendations: 4 David Lindenfeld, Melbourne Published/Updated: Recommendations: 4 A comment from Christoph Becker Published/Updated: Recommendations: 3
Neither of them gave each other anything in the second set. With the score at 5:4, Gauff already served to win the match. But Kostjuk fought back and equalized the set in the tiebreak. After that, the Ukrainian ran out of strength. Gauff quickly pulled away in the deciding set and remains undefeated in 2024.
