Game, set, match: Coco Gauff makes the quarterfinal!

New York Times

2 days ago

Follow live coverage from Roland Garros as Gauff, Andreeva, and Zverev make the quarterfinals with Jannik Sinner, Madison Keys also playing in Paris Getty Images
Jessica Pegula and Novak Djokovic are among those aiming to reach the French Open quarterfinals today at Roland Garros.
Coco Gauff (2), Mirra Andreeva (6), and Alexander Zverev (3) are already there after wins today, with Pegula (3) into a third and final set against French hope Lois Boisson.
Madison Keys (7) and Jannik Sinner (1) are also eyeing a last-eight berth. Follow below with expert analysis from our reporters in Paris. Watch: TNT, truTV, Tennis Channel, Max (U.S.); TNT, Discovery+ (UK)
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FINAL: Gauff 6-0, 7-5
That's the match! Coco Gauff (2) takes her second match point.
Though the second set was 53 minutes to the first set's 29, that test of her abilities will prove useful deeper in the tournament.
20th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova's tournament ends. Getty Images
Gauff 6-0 *6-5 Alexandrova
Gauff three points away from the quarterfinals at 15-0, but Alexandrova throws her heart and soul and more into a Hail Mary forehand down the line. And makes it! But then nets disappointingly.
17 unforced errors on the backhand, to Gauff's five. Massive serve from Gauff and she has two match points.
Andreeva 6-3, *4-5 Kasatkina
Wow. Just like that, Mirra Andreeva gets to 15-40 and takes the break back.
That is exactly why this Russian teenager is such a promising talent.
Set saved and back on serve… Getty Images
Andreeva 6-3, 3-5* Kasatkina
It's been a genuine slip in levels from Mirra Andreeva, who slips to 0-30 against an opponent who is retaining her aggression but now doing so without the errors.
Andreeva gets back to 30-30 but Daria Kasatkina soon has a second break point of this set, and makes it two from two.
I'm still seeing enough from what Andreeva is trying to do that it wouldn't take much for her to restore her advantage — but right now, it's the Australian enjoying herself and feeling energised.
And now serving for the second set.
Gauff 6-0 *6-5 Alexandrova
Alexandrova is thrown off. 0-15, mishit from Gauff and Alexandrova looks like she will put it away easily, but she runs all around it, wide on the left, and pushes it too far right.
0-40, three break points, and this game has got away from the 20th seed.
A break to love. Gauff will serve for the match. Getty Images
Gauff 6-0 5-5* Alexandrova
Gauff serving to make it 5-5 in this second set. Double fault makes it 30-15, a fortunate net cord sits up for her and she finds a winner, Alexandrova understandably frustrated.
Another poor double fault, 40-30... but Alexandrova lets her off the hook.
Big game coming up! Getty Images
Andreeva 6-3, *3-4 Kasatkina
It really was better from Daria Kasatkina. She builds on that encouraging game with a hold to love — and then some genuine forcefulness on Mirra Andreeva's serve.
From 40-15, the Russian is pinned back to deuce before Kasatkina takes her first break point in the game to get back on terms in the second set.
The Australian has the ability to burst into life and into contention at any point in any match. She's just threatening to reach that point now.
Kasatkina makes it three games in a row by holding her next service game. Getty Images
Alexandrova has found the footing.
She's hitting deep and hard and flat, which is what has given Gauff difficulty in the past.
Credit to her for putting a bagel set behind her and resetting herself and forcing Gauff to fight for the second set.
She's a game away form sending it to a third.
Gauff 6-0 *4-5 Alexandrova
Ekaterina Alexandrova, we see you. The 20th seed was steamrollered in the first set by second seed Coco Gauff but has upped her game and is really giving the American some problems now.
One particularly fine strike down the line kisses the chalk and takes her to 40-15. 40-30 but still game point, and she converts.
Gauff must hold to stay in the second set!
Gauff 6-0 4-4* Alexandrova
Gauff, serving to make it 5-3, is at 15-40 down. Two break back points for Alexandrova, who seems to find her best level only when she's in serious jeopardy.
She loses one as she nets after a treacherously spinning backhand.
But not the other! Some booming striking. One big shot pushes Coco left, then she smacks a forehand onto the line on the other side. Perfect. And a break. Getty Images
Gauff 6-0 *4-3 Alexandrova
Danger! 0-15, and Alexandrova errs, ending an 18-shot rally with a mistake. 0-40 down and three break points. This could be the start of the endgame.
Alexandrova has to hold, really, if she wants to stay in the tournament. One saved. A second saved at the net. What a point from Alexandrova! She saves a third with the highest-quality rally of the match.
Great defence and attack from both. Deuce, but Gauff powers a backhand down the line and shouts 'Come on!'. A fourth break point of the game. Oh, that's unlucky.
Alexandrova's shot clips the net and slows up fortuitously for Gauff, who has all the time in the world to whack away a backhand winner. Alexandrova is walking off court before the ball even lands. A break.
And probably the match then and there.
Andreeva 6-3, 3-1* Kasatkina
Better here from Daira Kasatkina, who comes out on top of a 26-shot rally at 15-0 and gets a look at 15-30 on Mirra Andreeva's serve with a glorious backhand winner that has both power and control.
But there could be something a little deflating from how well Andreeva deals with the situation and flips the Australian in a couple of short points.
Andreeva holds with minimal fuss thereafter. Getty Images
Gauff 6-0 3-3* Alexandrova
Gauff isn't playing at her top level, as she was in the first set, but it's still enough to see her ticking along with holds.
Wonderful semi-off-balance forehand spins high and wide, forcing Alexandrova to net.
At 30-30, the game is alive, but the Russian nets and groans audibly in frustration.
Andreeva 6-3, *2-1 Kasatkina
A lovely, comfortable hold for Mirra Andreeva to consolidate her break — and you can sense that is putting the pressure on Daria Kasatkina.
She's yet to really make the attacks stick on her opponent, and with that knowledge she is trying to force the issue more. But that is accelerating Kasatkina losing ground on the No. 6 seed.
She is battling, for sure. And even has to save a break point that is the result of her own double fault. Kasatkina holds in the end, to avoid going down a double break.
Looking back at the best moments from Sunday at Roland Garros.
Enjoy. Getty Images
Gauff 6-0 *2-3 Alexandrova
What a shot from Alexandrova, maybe her best shot of the match. She runs Gauff from side to side, moving her around Chatrier, and sends a booming backhand cross-court and sailing away for a winner.
Gauff marginally out and that's a hold. Getty Images
Andreeva 6-3, *1-0 Kasatkina
Alarm bells ringing loudly now for Daria Kasatkina. Again she's wild from deep with a crosscourt backhand, which offers up a second break point of this opening game in the second set.
Even better is how Mirra Andreeva then covers the ground and deals with the Australian coming to the net, by lifting a lob over her head and just inside the baseline.
The sixth seed now leads by a set and a break. Getty Images
Gauff 6-0 2-2* Alexandrova
A couple of minutes ago, I asked if Alexandrova could build on a couple of promising service games on Gauff's serve. And the answer, apparently, is: yes she can.
Some fine returns of serve see Gauff dump an easy forehand in the net, then Alexandrova out-lasts Gauff in a big-hitting rally to move to deuce.
Gauff's fourth forehand error of the game, break point... saved! Gauff has saved every single one of the six break points against her. Alexandrova has only saved one of the four against her.
The American lets her hands go, big shot, advantage... and she nets for deuce. This game past six minutes now. Another break point to Alexandrova, Gauff kills it with a great serve out wide.
Another good serve, another poor reply, Gauff advantage, but another unforced error, her seventh to Alexandrova's two, takes us back to deuce. But Gauff does hold and her opponent swats the loose ball away frustratedly.
...plenty of intriguing match-ups in the quarterfinals.
Top seeds Mate Pavic/Lyudmyla Kichenok are up against UK/U.S. pair Neal Skupski/Desirae Krawczyk, while Marcelo Arévalo/Zhang Shuai (2) face Giuliana Olmos and Lloyd Glasspool.
Americans Evan King/Taylor Townsend (4) are challenging last year's winners Édouard Roger-Vasselin and Laura Siegemund, with Brits Olivia Nicholls and Henry Patten playing Sara Errani/Andrea Vavassori (3).