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Coco Gauff's French Open dreams ended by impressive Barbora Krejcikova

Uche Amako
·11 min read
Coco Gauff's French Open dreams ended by impressive Barbora Krejcikova - SHUTTERSTOCK
Coco Gauff's French Open dreams ended by impressive Barbora Krejcikova - SHUTTERSTOCK

Unseeded Barbora Krejcikova reached the semi-finals of the French Open on her fifth appearance in a Grand Slam main draw as she beat a nervy Coco Gauff 7-6(6), 6-3.

The 33rd-ranked Czech saved five set points as she recovered from a slow start and benefited from her 17-year-old opponent's lack of composure to book a meeting with either defending champion Iga Swiatek or Maria Sakkari.

It was the 25th-seeded Gauff's first quarter-final at a major and after a promising start, the American appeared to crumble under pressure, making 41 unforced errors as she served seven double faults.

Krejcikova is looking to become the first player from the Czech Republic to lift the Suzanne Lenglen Cup since Hana Mandlikova in 1981.

Almost 5,000 spectators - up from 1,000 until then - were allowed on a sunkissed court Philippe Chatrier as COVID-19 measures started to ease on Wednesday.

"Thank you so much, it was amazing, we were more pumped. Thanks for cheering," Krejcikova said on court.

"I had never dreamed of being here on this court, reaching the semi-finals. I was behind in the first set but decided to go for every ball and just enjoy myself."

Gauff, who geared up for the tournament with her second WTA title in the Emilia Romagna Open in Parma, raced to a 3-0 lead with some aggressive service returns.

But Krejcikova, on a nine-match winning streak on clay on the main tour after winning the Strasbourg title before Roland Garros, broke back for 2-3 as Gauff started to misfire.

Gauff took advantage of a dip in her opponent's first serve percentage to move 5-3 up and serve for the set, only to then lose her composure and drop serve for the second time after wasting a set point.

Krejcikova was again in difficulty on her serve in the 12th game but she saved two more set points to force a tiebreak, in which nerves played a central part with Krejcikova seeing off another couple of set points.

The Czech was less wasteful, hitting a forehand winner on her first set point to take control of the contest.

She won 10 points in a row as she opened a 4-0 lead in the second set. Krejcikova's nerves got to her too as she wasted three match points at 5-1 and allowed Gauff to pull a break back.

Gauff saved another match point with a service winner in the next game. Krejcikova buried a forehand into the net on the next one, but she ended it on her sixth opportunity when her opponent sent a woeful shot wide. Reuters

11:42 AM

That's all for now

Thanks for joining us. But that's not all from us at the French Open.

My colleague Vicki Hodges is on duty for the last quarter-final of the women's draw between Maria Sakkari v Iga Swiatek here.

I'll be back later for Rafael Nadal vs Diego Schwartzman.

11:15 AM

Classy words from Krejcikova

11:02 AM

Gauff 6-7, 3-6 Krejcikova*

Gauff nets a backhand, 30-0. Gauff backhand return long, 40-0. Three more match points.

GAME. SET. MATCH Krejcikova. The Czech finally gets the job done as Gauff's forehand flies wide.

She is into her first Grand Slam semi-final.

10:57 AM

Gauff* 6-7, 3-5 Krejcikova

The crowd on Philippe Chatrier want to see more tennis and are applauding every point Gauff wins as she gets to 30-0.

But Krejcikova pulls it back to 30-30. Krejcikova backhand winner down the line, match point No 4.

Gusty second serve by Gauff gets the forehand return error. Deuce. Fifth match point after Gauff makes a mistake on the backhand. Krejcikova nets with a forehand. Very tense.

Krejcikova backhand wide. And it is three games in a row for Gauff as Krejcikova nets a forehand. She will have another chance to win the set next.

10:49 AM

Gauff 6-7, 2-5 Krejcikova*

Three match points for Krejcikova as Gauff nets a forehand.

Gauff saves the first with a backhand winner. Fighting spirit from the teenager. Krejcikova's backhand goes wide, 40-30.

Krejcikova backhand wide. Very tight point. Deuce. Break point Gauff after a backhand winner. And Coco breaks to keep herself in the match.

Pressure does funny things to people...

10:43 AM

Gauff* 6-7, 1-5 Krejcikova

Gauff goes for a drive volley on the backhand and it goes long, 30-30. A more composed rally by Gauff ends with Krejcikova going long with a backhand. And Gauff holds with an ace.

Can she get one of the breaks back?

10:39 AM

Gauff 6-7, 0-5 Krejcikova*

This has escalated very quickly. The frustrations of the first set seem to have got to Gauff. Krejcikova looks set for another love hold but double faults, 40-15.

But Krejcikova drills a backhand winner to close out the game. She is a game away from the semi-finals.

10:37 AM

Gauff* 6-7, 0-4 Krejcikova

Danger time for Gauff as she falls to 0-30. She then nets a forehand, three break points. And it is a double fault by Gauff. Oh dear.

Gauff cracks her racket on the court and receives a code violation. Massive task now for Gauff.

10:34 AM

Gauff 6-7, 0-3 Krejcikova*

The errors are starting to flow from Gauff's racket and it is allowing Krejcikova to build a good lead here.

A wild backhand return by Gauff enables Krejcikova to hold to love.

10:31 AM

Gauff* 6-7, 0-2 Krejcikova

At this stage of the match, Krejcikova is looking more steady and Gauff is showing the nerves. And it proves costly as Gauff makes some untimely errors to be broken in the opening game.

10:26 AM

Second set: Gauff 6-7, 0-1 Krejcikova*

Gauff will be scratching her head at how she lost that set but she fights back from 40-0 to make it deuce here.

Break point for Gauff as she goes for Krejcikova's second serve. Big serve by Krejcikova to save the break point.

And the Czech holds.

10:19 AM

Gauff 6-7 Krejcikova - TIEBREAK

Gauff backhand into the net, 0-1. Gauff backhand wide, 0-2. Krejcikova double fault, 1-2. Krejcikova backhand wide, 2-2. Gauff double fault, 2-3. Krejcikova nets a forehand, 3-3.

Krejcikova forehand long, 4-3. Gauff nets a backhand, 4-4. Gauff winner, 5-4. Krejcikova nets a forehand, 6-4. Krejcikova forehand winner, 6-5. Another Krejcikova forehand winner, 6-6.

Gauff goes long with a backhand, 6-7. Another Krejcikova forehand winner, 6-8.

10:08 AM

Gauff 6-6 Krejcikova*

Krejcikova nets a backhand to open the door for Gauff, 0-30. But back-to-back backhand errors by Gauff allows Krejcikova back into the game.

Second set point for Gauff as Krejcikova nets a backhand. Gauff backhand into the net.

What a pass by Gauff to whip a forehand winner. Set point. Gutsy tennis from Krejcikova as she responds with a backhand winner.

And Krejcikova survives to take this match into a tiebreak. Three set points have now come and gone for Gauff.

10:00 AM

Gauff* 6-5 Krejcikova

A sixth forehand winner by Krejcikova makes it 30-15. More great athleticism from Gauff as she sprints to her right and fires and forehand down the line that's too much for Krejcikova.

Gauff holds serve to book herself a tiebreak.

09:55 AM

Gauff 5-5 Krejcikova*

Krejcikova's best service game of the match as she holds to love. She is looking more composed at the moment.

09:53 AM

Gauff* 5-4 Krejcikova

Gauff ace, 30-15. Big forehand winner by Krejcikova, 30-30. Yet another Gauff ace. Set point.

Wild backhand by Gauff flies long. A fourth double fault by Gauff gives Krejcikova a break point and she does break again as the teen nets a backhand. That was a very nervy game.

09:49 AM

Gauff 5-3 Krejcikova*

Both players have struggled a little bit with their serve and a double fault by Krejcikova makes it deuce.

Gauff then hits a forehand winner to earn a break point. And she gets the crucial break as Krejcikova goes wide with a forehand. She will serve for the set.

09:42 AM

Gauff* 4-3 Krejcikova

Gauff double fault, 30-30. Bad miss by Krejcikova as she nets a forehand after getting Gauff on the run. But an error by Gauff makes it deuce.

The holds again to regain the lead.

09:37 AM

Gauff 3-3 Krejcikova*

Krejcikova smash winner, 15-30. Gauff nets a forehand, 30-30. Break point for Gauff as Krejcikova goes wide with a forehand. Krejcikova ace.

And he comes through to hold. Krejcikova has finally settled into the match.

09:31 AM

Gauff* 3-2 Krejcikova

An opening for Krejcikova as she gets to 0-30. And she earns two break points when Gauff nets a forehand.

And she does break back as Gauff nets a backhand. Back on serve.

09:28 AM

Gauff 3-1 Krejcikova*

Confidence boosting game for Krejcikova as she gets to 40-0. Gauff drills another backhand winner into the corner. Then hits a lovely short angled volley.

Stunning court coverage from Gauff draws another error from Krejcikova. Deuce. Gutsy hold by Krejcikova as she closes out the game with a forehand winner.

09:21 AM

Gauff* 3-0 Krejcikova

Gauff clearly has the edge with her weight of shot from the baseline and Krejcikova is struggling to cope.

Gauff races to 40-30 and finishes off the game with a backhand winner.

09:19 AM

Gauff 2-0 Krejcikova*

Early problems for Krejcikova as she goes just wide with a backhand. Then hits a double fault. Three break points for Gauff.

The Czech saves the first as Gauff nets a backhand. Then the smash winner. And an ace. Great recovery.

The ball striking on the forehand side is already looking sharp for Gauff and she gets another break point after a forehand winner down the line.

And Krejcikova can't escape with her serve as she double faults. Excellent start.

09:11 AM

First Set: Coco Gauff* 1-0 Barbora Krejcikova (*denotes server)

Nervy start by Gauff as she serves a double fault on the opening point and then nets a forehand, 15-30.

But she does come through to hold serve.

09:08 AM

Warm up

Gauff and Krejcikova are going through their routines. The teen is the favourite. Can she handle the pressure?

Let's see.

08:53 AM

Good morning!

Hello and welcome to day 11 of the French Open and the big names are all in action.

We start off with 17-year-old sensation Coco Gauff, who has reached the quarter-finals for the first time in her short career.

Then defending champion Iga Swiatek aims to reach the last four again, where she could meet Gauff.

The men's draw then takes over with 13-time winner Rafael Nadal facing his close friend Diego Schwartzman.

And in the night session, top seed and world No 1 Novak Djokovic plays Matteo Berrettini.

Speaking earlier in the tournament, Eurosport tennis expert and seven-time Grand Slam champion Mats Wilander, backed Swiatek to retain her title.

"I think Iga has proven that defending her title is not a worry to her," he said.

"Am I surprised how well she has taken on the challenge of defending her title? I guess we are a little surprised. In ten years when she has won four or five Roland-Garros titles we will know there was no reason to be surprised.

"I think she is very mature on the court, her game is extremely mature. I think the question for her is whether she can be a better player on faster courts.

"She has more time on the clay where she moves and slides well, on the hard court or grass court it's a little more tougher for her and her forehand becomes a little bit of a weakness. But on clay, I don't know who could overpower her on a clay court."

On Tuesday, Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas booked a semi-final showdown after both completed straight-set wins.

While Tamara Zidansek and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova will also meet in the last four of the women's draw.

So stay with us for build up, live updates and reaction as the tournament approaches the business end.