‘I feel so happy right now’ – The French Open is guaranteed a debutant finalist as Coco Gauff swept aside a passive Sloane Stephens for a spot in the semi-final. Gauff played brilliantly throughout and tormented her opponent with an incredible defence. She will go on to play Martina Trevisan, another last-four debutant, in the semi-final.
Coco Gauff swept former world number three Sloane Stephens aside 7-5, 6-2 to reach her first Grand Slam semi-final.
Gauff, brilliant throughout, failed to serve for the match in the second set, but a poor service game from Stephens handed her opponent the match on a plate and ended any hopes of a fightback.
The 19-year-old, appearing in her first semi-final, will face up against another last-four debutant in Martina Trevisan.
Gauff stormed into the lead on Phillipe Chatrier after following a comfortable service game with a break on the Stephens serve as the former US Open champion struggled with her opponent’s thumping groundstrokes.
Another hold of serve saw Gauff take a 3-0 lead, before Stephens finally stopped the rot with a hold of serve.
A hold to love from Gauff maintained her advantage as Stephens grew into the match and kept herself alive in the first set with a hold for 4-2.
A trickier hold for Gauff saw her move 5-2 up, and while Stephens waited for her chance to break back, she held serve for 5-3.
Sure enough, when the chance came Stephens took it, breaking back following a wild forehand from Gauff.
Her third game in a row saw the match level at 5-5, but another hold to love from Gauff put the breaks on the 29-year-old’s momentum.
And moments later, the teenager had three set points. Stephens saved the first but could do nothing about a crashing backhand winner from Gauff for the second, and the 18-year-old took a one-set lead to the sound of big cheers.
Stephens look set for a resurgence in the second set, breaking the Gauff serve immediately for a 1-0 lead, but the teenager produced a brilliant backhand winner to break right back before consolidating with a hold to go 2-1 up.
Another backhand winner drew a second break of the set and a third game in a row for Gauff. And after a saved break point, a double-fault and a miss-hit volley from Stephens, Gauff held serve after an epic game to go 4-1 up.
Stephens, miles from her best, produced three unforced errors to hand Gauff a double-break and a fifth consecutive game.
Gauff found 30-0, but two nervous double faults levelled the match. A winner from Stephens and an unforced error from the teenager saw the former French Open finalist alive in the set.
