By SIMON CAMBERS The Associated Press
MELBOURNE, Australia — Coco Gauff kept alive her hopes of back-to-back Grand Slam singles titles after beating Marta Kostyuk, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (3), 6-2, in an error-strewn quarterfinal match at the Australian Open on Tuesday (Monday night PT).
The fourth-seeded Gauff saved two set points as she came from 5-1 down to take the opening set on the tiebreaker but was pushed to a deciding set before clinching victory after 3 hours and 8 minutes.
“I’m really proud of the fight I showed today,” the 19-year-old American said. “Marta’s a tough player, we always have close matches.
“I really fought and left it all out on the court today. In the second set, I had an opportunity but I think I got passive. When I came out in the third I really tried to be a bit more aggressive.”
Having lost just 15 games on her way to the quarters, Gauff was vulnerable early on against Kostyuk, the Ukrainian who was appearing in her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
In the Melbourne heat, the U.S. Open champion had 51 unforced errors, nine double faults and just 17 winners but survived to set up a semifinal against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka or ninth-seeded Barbora Krejcikova.
“I’m from South Florida, so I’m used to the heat,” Gauff said. “It gets even hotter back at home, to be honest.”
Kostyuk got right in the American’s face from the outset, and stormed to that 5-1 lead, serving twice for the opening set as well as holding a set point on Gauff’s serve.
Gauff said she knew she was up against it and, problem-solving on her feet, battled her way back into the contest by rattling off five successive games to serve for the set herself.
“I was playing not great. I was just missing everything on both wings and not serving well. I was just trying to win one extra game,” Gauff said. “I believe every point, every game matters, and eventually the score started to get closer.”
Gauff has now won 12 consecutive matches in Grand Slams after winning the U.S. Open in September.
“It’s really great to be out here,” Gauff said of playing in Rod Laver Arena. “A lot of American flags.”
Top-seeded Novak Djokovic, who has 10 Australian Open titles among his record 24 Grand Slam crowns, was taking on 12th-seeded American Taylor Fritz for a berth in the semifinals. Djokovic has won all eight of their previous meetings.
Sabalenka and Krejcikova were to play at night (overnight PT) before No. 4 Jannik Sinner met No. 5 Andrey Rublev, though the schedule was again running well behind because Gauff’s match ran long.
More to come on this story.