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Women’s tennis Coco Gauff reaches French Open quarters

A DAY after Serena Williams was eliminated from the French Open, 17-year-old Coco Gauff showed the future in tennis for US women is bright.

Gauff served superbly to reach her first Grand Slam quarter-final with a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Ons Jabeur today, losing only nine points on her serve.

Gauff also had a quick match in the previous round, when Jennifer Brady retired with an injured left foot after Gauff won the opening set.

Gauff will next face Barbora Krejcikova, who also reached her first quarter-final at a major by beating 2018 French Open runner-up Sloane Stephens with a similarly lopsided score: 6-2, 6-0.

Later, 22-year-old Sofia Kenin was to face 17th-seeded Maria Sakkari with another spot in the last eight on the line.

Kenin is the highest-seeded woman left in the women’s draw at number four. The US player lost last year’s final at Roland Garros to Iga Swiatek, who meets Marta Kostyuk in the night match on Court Philippe Chatrier.

On Sunday, the 39-year-old Williams lost to Elena Rybakina 6-3, 7-5.

Gauff already announced herself as a contender to become the next great US star when she made a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon as a 15-year-old qualifier two years ago. Now, having gone a step further, she became the youngest US player to reach a Grand Slam quarter-final since Venus Williams did it at 17 at the 1997 US Open. What’s more, Gauff has not dropped a set in Paris this year.

It’s been a breakthrough year in singles for the 25-year-old Krejcikova, who won her first WTA title in Strasbourg in the build-up to the French Open. Her victory over Stephens on Court Suzanne Lenglen extended her current winning run to nine matches.

Until now, Krejcikova was mainly known for her doubles accomplishments. She is a former number one in the specialty and has won two Grand Slam titles with team-mate Katerina Siniakova. They play in the doubles quarter-finals tomorrow.

Stephens committed 26 unforced errors against Krejcikova.

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