PARIS– PARIS (AP) — Coco Gauff came back to defeat Ons Jabeur 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the French Open on Tuesday to reach the semifinals in a third consecutive Grand Slam tournament.
Gauff won her over first major title at the US Open in September, then reached the final four of the Australian Open in January.
The 20-year-old American is third at Roland Garros, where she was runner-up to Iga Swiatek in 2022.
Gauff could get a semi-final rematch against the highest rated Swiatekwho has won three of the last four titles in Paris.
Swiatek’s quarterfinal against Marketa Vondrousova, Wimbledon champion in 2023 was scheduled for Tuesday at the Philippe Chatrier Court.
Jabeur’s mix of speeds and spins sometimes caused Gauff to attack. And as well-known as Gauff is for her ability to cover the court and play defense, Jabeur managed to keep winning, finishing with 30 overall.
“She was playing very well throughout the match. She was hitting a lot of kills against me, which is something I’m not used to against anyone,” Gauff said. “So today I was just trying to be aggressive at the end.”
Gauff took a 5-2 lead in the final set, then needed a trio of match points to close things out, later acknowledging that she perhaps got a little tense in the final stretch. The last game was crucial, with Gauff needing to save a break point, then Jabeur discarding a match point with a disguised drop shot that drew a roar from the stands to which the 29-year-old Tunisian responded by putting her right index finger to her ear.
But on Gauff’s next opportunity to seal victory, Jabeur made a serious mistake. Gauff smiled, raised his arms and shouted.
With the crowd in the main stadium supporting Jabeur at times, Gauff did not play badly in the opening set. But the number 8 seed, Jabeur – three-time main finalist – was excellent, winning 17 of 18 first serve points, never facing a single break point and amassing a 12-5 advantage in total winners.
When she hit an ace at 114 mph to end the set, Jabeur nodded repeatedly.
“She is a tough opponent and very popular on tour. I could tell from the crowd today – I know you wanted her to win. Honestly, whenever she’s not playing (me), I root for her too,” Gauff said.
“Even though you guys were Ons, I really had a lot of fun, even when I lost the first set and they were yelling when I was in the bathroom,” Gauff said of leaving the court after the first set. I thought, ‘This is really fun, win or lose.’ That’s it.”
Gauff continued forward, increasing his level and trying to gain the upper hand during longer exchanges. She scored 16 winners in the last two sets, breaking serve four times.
“I know I have a lot of love here in Paris. Trust me, I know,” said Gauff, who won the French Open junior title at age 14. “So I really appreciate it and hope you guys can help me get through to the next round.”
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