Gauff ‘dreams big, aims higher’ at French Open
SHE IS ALSO THE YOUNGEST AMERICAN WOMAN TO BOOK A PLACE IN THE LAST EIGHT IN PARIS SINCE JENNIFER CAPRIATI IN 1993.
Coco Gauff became the youngest Grand Slam quarterfinalist in 15 years on Monday when she defeated Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur at the French Open claiming she “dreams big but aims higher”. Gauff, 17, swept to a 53-minute 6-3, 6-1 win and takes on Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic for a place in the semi-finals.
At the age of 17 years and 86 days, Gauff is the youngest woman to reach the last eight of a Slam since Nicole Vaidisova who made the quarter-finals at Roland Garros in 2006 aged 17 years and 44 days.
She is also the youngest American woman to book a place in the last eight in Paris since Jennifer Capriati in 1993.
“You know, my message has always been ‘dream big and aim higher’. I think that today was honestly coming from that message of aiming higher,” she said.
Djokovic, Nadal through
World number one Novak Djokovic survived a huge scare as he fought back from two sets down against teenager Lorenzo Musetti to reach the quarter-finals, after his Italian opponent retired in the fifth set.
Top seed Djokovic was outplayed by an inspired Musetti as he lost two tiebreaks, but the match then changed dramatically as the Serb fought back to win 6-7(7), 6-7(2), 6-1, 6-0, 4-0.
It was unclear exactly what happened to world number 76 Musetti whose stylish game was threatening to send Djokovic to his earliest Roland Garros exit since 2009.
Having produced tennis of the highest calibre in two sets, Musetti then lost the third set in 24 minutes and did not even get a point in set four until the fifth game as the match slipped away. A relieved Djokovic went 4-0 ahead in the decider before Musetti said he could not continue.
Later in the evening, 13-time champion, Rafael Nadal, defeated world No. 18 Jannik Sinner 7-5, 6-3, 6-0 to set up a quarter-final against No. 10 seed Diego Schwartzman.
After an early break in the opening set that put the 19-yearold Sinner in the lead, the Italian dropped his serve late as Nadal ran away with the set. Sinner did not get another peep into the match.
Sakkari beats Kenin
Greek Maria Sakkari bundled out American fourth seed Sofia Kenin, the highest remaining women’s seed, with a 6-1, 6-3, thrashing to reach her maiden Grand Slam quarter-final.
A wasteful Kenin, who reached last year’s final here, managed to hold just two service games and cut a frustrated figure on the Suzanne Lenglen court, constantly muttering to herself but unable to solve her problems.
Kenin committed nine double faults and made 32 unforced errors in the contest.
Sakkari, the 17th seed, had lost both her previous matches in majors against the 2020 Australian Open winner, and will meet either Polish defending champion Iga Swiatek or unseeded world No.81 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine.