Krejcikova ousts Gauff, enters last four
PARIS: Barbora Krejcikova took a roller-coaster ride into a maiden Grand Slam semi-final at the French Open on Wednesday as Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal closed in on another blockbuster clash.
Czech world No.33 Krejcikova knocked out American 17-yearold Coco Gauff 7-6 (6), 6-3 after saving five set points in the opener and then needing six match points to finish the job.
She goes on to face either eighth seeded defending champion Iga Swiatek, the only top 10 player to reach the quarter-finals, or Greece’s Maria Sakkari.
Gauff, the 24th seed and the youngest quarter-finalist at a major in 15 years, was undone by seven double faults and 41 unforced errors. “I never really imagined I’d be standing here one day on this court, especially in singles, and being able to win,” said Krejcikova, who had been so paralysed by fear before her last 16 victory over Sloane Stephens that she locked herself in a stadium office and wept.
Krejcikova, now on a 10-match winning streak, is having a busy week. She is also in the semi-finals of the women’s doubles.
Swiatek, Poland’s first Grand Slam singles champion, is on a run of 22 straight sets won here. She is also winning rave reviews including from Britain’s twotime Wimbledon champion Andy Murray who tweeted his admiration for the Pole’s style of play.
Like Krejcikova, Swiatek is also into the women’s doubles semi-finals with US partner Bethanie Mattek-sands.
Later on Wednesday, world No.1 Djokovic, the 2016 champion, and an 18-time Grand Slam title winner, faces Italian ninth seed Matteo Berrettini.
Victory would put the Serb into the semi-finals in Paris for the 11th time and only two wins away from becoming only the third man in history to win all four majors twice. Djokovic had to dig deep against another Italian to guarantee his passage to a 15th quarter-final here.