Coco Gauff becomes 5th youngest player since 2000 to reach 14 WTA quarterfinals
WTA sensation Coco Gauff continues to make news for all the right reasons. On Thursday, the 18-year-old beat four-time Major winner Naomi Osaka to reach the last eight at the Silicon Valley Classic in San Jose.
Coming off a maiden Grand Slam final at Roland Garros, where she lost to top seed Iga Swiatek, Gauff looked on course for a facile win, leading Osaka 6-4, 5-1. However, the Japanese twice recovered from 40-0 down, saving seven championship points, before Gauff closed out her 27th win of the year.
The American is now into her fifth quarterfinal of the year and 14th of her young career. That makes her the fifth youngest player since the turn of the century to reach 14 singles quarterfinals on the WTA tour. Only Nicole Vaidisova, Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters and Tatiana Golovin were younger than Gauff when they played their 14th quarterfinal.
14 - Cori #Gauff has reached her 14th WTA-level quarterfinal aged 18 years and 145 days: since 2000, only Nicole Vaidisova, Maria Sharapova, Kim Clijsters and Tatiana Golovin have disputed 14 such QFs younger than her. Sunshine.
@WTA @WTA_insider https://t.co/ZurImGQpEN
Lauding her opponent for not 'throwing in the towel', Gauff said:
"At 5-1, 0-40 I was not settled at all. It's very rare that someone comes back from 0-40 twice but it's Naomi. That just shows how much of a fight she has. She could have easily thrown in the towel but she didn't."
From 5-1...to 5-4!!! 😰
@naomiosaka saves 7 match points and looks to level up in the second set.
#MubadalaSVC https://t.co/zk33JYbYnZ
Gauff will next take on Paula Badosa for a place in the final.
"I improved in all aspects and today showed it" - Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff has had a fabulous campaign, improving to 27-13 this year with her win over Naomi Osaka.
Although the World No. 11 is yet to win a title this year, she's pleased with her improvement in various aspects, especially her baseline game against a tough opponent.
Analyzing her performance against Osaka, the teenager said that she's happy about things falling in place for her after putting in the hard yards in practice.
"I think I improved in all aspects, and today, (I) showed it," Gauff said. "I knew playing Naomi was going to be tough. I think she has one of the best baseline games in the game. When I play her, I know that if she does win the match that's where she's going to get me, in those baseline rallies."
"I think today I really held my ground and winning a lot more of those rallies than she was. That just shows how much I'm improving. The last three weeks, so many hours on the court, and I'm glad it's coming together," she added.
Gauff will look to win her third career singles title this week.