Coco Vandeweghe reached the semi-finals of a grand slam tournament for the first time, as she knocked out seventh seed and defending Roland Garros champion. Garbine Muruguza in straight sets, 64, 60.
The twenty-five year old American came into this match with her previous best results at a grand slam her run to the US Open quarter-finals in 2015, when she lost to Maria Sharapova in three sets. She is also a former Junior US Open champion, having won that title in 2008.
Vandeweghe is ranked at no.35 coming into this week, but signalled that she is fine form by defeating fifteenth seed Roberta Vinci in straight sets in the third round.
Muruguza also suggested some fine form, reaching the quarter-finals without dropping a set. There had been questions over her fitness rather than form pre-tournament, as she retired at the Brisbane International against Alize Cornet despite wins in the same event over Sam Stosur and Svetlana Kuznetsova.
To say that Vandeweghe’s win was as a result of a Muguruza injury though, would be a disservice to the American.
The American played a brave first set that saw both women higher in the winners column than the unforced errors column. As such, it required shot-making skills of the highest order to break down the hard-working Muruguza. Despite the closeness of the winners/unforced errors numbers, it was Vandeweghe who was constantly pressing, creating nine break points in the first set, taking only one. One was all that was required though, as Muguruza could only earn one of her own, with Vandeweghe, whose serve is considered one of the strongest on tour, saving the single break point that the Spaniard created.
Instead of tightening in the second set with something to defend against a favoured opponent, the American instead improved, openly hitting a number of winners, and when she was not hitting winners, she was getting the return so deep that Muguruza, well known for excellent defence, just had no answer. Vandeweghe was hitting winners from both wings, but the forehand in particular was proving particularly dominant.
The win is even more of a surprise because Muguruza was so clearly in form, often so far in this tournament there have been indicators in shock results where the favoured player has shown signs of not being at their best beforehand. There was no indication of this from Muguruza, which makes the result all the more surprising.
The win sets up a a meeting for Vandweghe with Venus Williams, in an all American clash. The result ensures that those hoping for an all Williams final can still live in hope, as both sisters remain alive in the draw.
Vandweghe – “I really wasn’t feeling all that great out there, I was really feeling kinda nervous, but yeah i just tried to play my best and play within my self. She finally cracked and the second set was like a freight train, no way to stop it! Well you know I had a conversation and I said I wouldn’t break any rackets in the tournaments and I broke that rule in the second round! It was really quite frustrating to have so many break points, I was really second-guessing on second serve. Last and first time I ever faced Venus was on clay so it will be a very different match. Its really a honour to face Venus. I told her about one time when we were on the same team the first time I tried to get an autograph I couldn’t get one!”
