Coco Gauff is into the Italian Open semifinals (Image: Getty Images)
Coco Gauff’s 2026 Italian Open hasn’t lacked for drama: the 22-year-old has survived three consecutive three-set thrillers to reach her fourth career semifinal in Rome.
No. 3 seed Gauff most recently survived No. 8 Mirra Andreeva 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, nearly blowing a 5-1 third-set lead and waiting for her fifth match point to finish the match.
The American, set to defend her 2025 French Open title later this month at Roland Garros amid concerns about her body language, was exhausted post-match and admitted that her 19-year-old Russian opponent was “killing” Gauff in one key aspect.
“I felt when the balls are getting heavy, it was tough,” she shared. “There was one game where I just felt like I could not get the return deep. I ended up winning the game. I just felt like I couldn’t get it deep enough in the court. She was killing me on the short balls
Gauff was down a double-break to Argentina player Solana Sierra in the third round and survived. She then fended off a second-set match point against American Iva Jovic in the fourth round before launching a comeback.
Coco Gauff celebrates beating Mirra Andreeva in Italy (Image: Getty Images)
Gauff knows she’s letting matches get nervy. “Obviously wish I could have closed it out a little bit earlier in the third,” she admitted. “She definitely raised her level. I put myself in the position to win on pretty much every game.”
“I think you have the lead, I know when I play her she can play great tennis at any moment. But I was also thinking, I saved a match point in the last round, so I could easily not be here today.”
Gauff is rounding into form nicely ahead of the French Open. The 22-year-old started 2026 slowly: she’s still only reached one final (a 2026 Miami Open loss to Aryna Sabalenka).
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She’ll face Romanian No. 26 Sorana Cirstea, who beat former French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko, in the semifinal. Iga Swiatek, a Gauff-killer, looms in the other semifinal.
“Sorana [Cirstea] is a tough player,” Gauff said of her upcoming opponent. “We played each other last tournament and it was three sets. So, it’s going to be another tough match, but grateful to be into the semifinals.”
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