Coco Gauff Saves 2 Match Points in Epic US Open Comeback

When Coco Gauff was down a set and facing two match points against Russia's Mirra Andreeva, the 22-year-old American drew inspiration from an unlikely source: her compatriot's comeback victory just one night earlier.

The fourth seed transformed what looked like certain defeat into a thrilling 2-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 victory on Tuesday night. After getting blown away in a 26-minute opening set, Gauff clawed her way through a grueling 16-point tiebreak in the second set before dominating the decider.

"At the end of the first set I was thinking about Frances and how he came back yesterday," Gauff said, referring to Frances Tiafoe's comeback win. "I was just trying to leave the court with no regrets."

The win marks Gauff's return to the US Open semifinals for the first time since she won the title in 2023. She's now reached back-to-back Grand Slam semifinals, having won the French Open earlier this year.

What made the victory even more remarkable was Gauff's ability to flip the mental battle. She finished with 42 unforced errors and 12 double faults, yet still found a way to win when it mattered most.

The packed Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd played a crucial role in the turnaround. Gauff revealed she's learned to embrace the home support rather than fear disappointing fans, something that weighed on her earlier in her career.

"I don't have that fear of disappointing them," she explained. "I'm just using them and knowing that when I step on this court, they're still going to have my back."

Why This Inspires

Gauff's comeback shows that champions aren't defined by playing perfect tennis. They're defined by refusing to quit when everything seems lost.

Her opponent, 18-year-old Andreeva, struck just two unforced errors in the final set compared to Gauff's 14, yet the American's belief never wavered. When the pressure peaked at those two match points, Gauff raised her level while Andreeva's composure cracked.

Former British number one Annabel Croft captured it perfectly: "She's unrecognisable from the player at the start of this match. By the end, she was completely controlling the match."

Gauff will next face Elena Rybakina, who just became the world's number one player for the first time. The matchup marks a historic moment: the first time the top four seeds have all reached a Grand Slam semifinal since Wimbledon 2009.

For Gauff, who turned what looked like her worst match into her most memorable victory, anything seems possible.