Coco Gauff’s impressive streak of 19 consecutive service holds came to an end, and her run of winning 11 consecutive sets was halted. Despite committing three times as many unforced errors as winners, she managed to advance in the Australian Open quarterfinals.
The No. 4 seed, Gauff, faced a tough challenge against the 37th-ranked Marta Kostyuk from Ukraine. In a closely contested match lasting 3 hours and 8 minutes, Gauff secured victory with a 7-6 (6), 6-7 (3), 6-2 scoreline. This thrilling encounter became the longest Grand Slam match of the 19-year-old’s career, according to Tennis Abstract.
In Thursday’s semifinals, fans can anticipate an exciting match between No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus and the formidable Coco Gauff. This clash is a rematch of the U.S. Open final in September, where Gauff emerged victorious. Sabalenka, who has not dropped a set throughout the entire tournament, showcased her dominance by defeating the ninth-seeded Czech, Barbora Krejcikova, with a convincing score of 6-2, 6-3 in Tuesday’s quarterfinal.
Reflecting on her performance, Gauff acknowledged, “Today was definitely a C game. Hopefully, I’ve gotten the subpar match out of the way, and I can elevate my play in the upcoming rounds.” Gauff is currently on an impressive streak of 10 consecutive wins to kick off the season, extending to 12 consecutive Grand Slam victories when considering her triumph at the U.S. Open in September.
Tuesday’s triumph was remarkable. In an intense 76-minute opening set, Gauff initially found herself trailing 1-5. However, she rallied impressively, securing the next five games to position herself to serve for the set. Despite her efforts, she faced a setback as she was broken, leading the match into a tiebreak.
Prior to the tiebreak, Kostyuk called for a medical timeout, seemingly due to a blister on her big toe. The tiebreak unfolded with Kostyuk missing her second set point, a staggering 34 minutes after the first. Gauff capitalized on the opportunity, winning the next two points to bring the set to a close.
Gauff’s victory in the set was characterized by five winners but accompanied by 24 unforced errors. Undeterred, she entered the second set with determination. However, a similar narrative unfolded as she served for the set but was once again broken. To compound the challenge, she faced adversity in the tiebreak, losing the initial four points.