By Russell Miller
Coco Gauff made her way through to her first US Open quarter-final and said she is feeling less nervous on the Arthur Ashe Stadium than in earlier rounds.
The 18-year-old American defeated China’s Zhang Shuai 7-5 7-5 and has been scheduled on the biggest court in world tennis in every match so far this tournament.
‘I would say I am getting more comfortable. The first couple times on Ashe, I was very nervous,’ Gauff said, before adding ‘I don’t know, I was really shocked. My first round I was shocked that I was being put on Ashe. Then happened again the second round. At that point I figured maybe it would keep happening, especially when Serena was playing.“
Gauff had played on the Arthur Ashe stadium in the past, but finally recorded her first win there in the opening round this year. However this was Gauff’s stiffest test yet against an in-form opponent.
Despite being broken in her opening service game of the match, Gauff struck back immediately, before the pair exchanged breaks midway through the first set.
Zhang, who has enjoyed a strong summer with wins over the likes of Naomi Osaka and Anett Kontaveit, impressed with her shotmaking, but it was Gauff who struck the final blow in the opening set, breaking to go 6-5 up and serving it out convincingly.
With the roof shut for the second set due to bad weather, Gauff saw herself 5-3 down and saved a set point before breaking Zhang’s serve twice in a row and serving the match out at 6-5, just like the first set.
The teenager will take on the in-form Caroline Garcia next, who like Gauff, has not dropped a set so far in the tournament.
Gauff, who reached world number one in doubles in August after her brilliant results alongside American’s Caty McNally and Jessica Pegula, lost in the opening round here alongside the latter, but is excited about the prospect of an all-American final against her friend.
Speaking of Pegula, Gauff said ‘It’s been great playing with her. It didn’t go our way this tournament. I have fun on the court. But it would be pretty cool to have an all-American final. I don’t want to look that far ahead.’
