French Open 2022 score, winner and recap: Coco Gauff edges Sloane Stephens in all-American battle to reach first Major SF
Coco Gauff bested former World No. 3 Sloane Stephens to reach her first Major semifinal at the French Open on Tuesday. The 18-year-old Gauff exacted revenge on Stephens after her straight-sets loss in the second round of the US Open last year.
Coco Gauff vs Sloane Stephens Score
Gauff prevailed over Stephens 7-5, 6-2 in an all-American battle in the quarterfinals.
She became just the fifth female player to reach the last four of the French Open in the 2000s before turning 19 after Kim Clijsters (2001), Justine Henin (2001), Nicole Vaidisova (2006) and Amanda Anisimova (2019).
Coco Gauff vs Sloane Stephens Winner
Gauff got the better of her older and more experienced opponent in a little over an hour and a half. With the win, the 18-year-old improved her win-loss record on clay to 27-9.
Coco Gauff vs Sloane Stephens Recap
Gauff led 5-2 in the first set before Stephens clawed her way back into the contest. However, the teenager managed to break Stephens' serve in the 12th game to win the first set 7-5.
Stephens halted her younger counterpart's momentum as she broke to open the second set. But Gauff immediately broke back and held serve in the next game to take the lead. Stephens didn't hold her serve throughout the second set.
Three unforced errors on Stephens' backhand wing rewarded Gauff with a break point in the fourth game, which she converted with a backhand winner.
Gauff had to overcome a shaky service game in which she committed a pair of double faults and faced three break points after Stephens fired a couple of winners. But the young American steadied herself and saved all three break points before holding serve to go up 4-1 in the second set.
Gauff broke the 2017 US Open champion again in the next game but Stephens was not one to give up easily as she retaliated with her own break of serve to stay alive at 5-2.
However, Gauff raced to a 40-0 lead to earn three match points and converted on her second try to reach her first Major semifinal. The 18th seed fired 18 winners to Stephens' 16, and committed fewer unforced errors (23 to 31).
She will take on Martina Trevisan in the semifinals, who beat Leylah Fernandez in three sets to also make her first Major semifinal.
Also Check Out :- French Open 2022 Schedule