Gauff Beats Andreeva to Reach Italian Open Semis

Coco Gauff advanced to the semifinals of the Italian Open on Tuesday with a hard-fought 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 quarterfinal victory over Mirra Andreeva at the Foro Italico in Rome.

The 22-year-old American, the reigning French Open champion, claimed her third consecutive comeback win in the tournament, improving her head-to-head record against the 19-year-old Russian to 5-0. Andreeva, ranked seventh in the world, took the first set after breaking early for a 2-1 lead and dictating play. Gauff responded aggressively in the second, approaching the net more often and producing her cleanest set of the clay-court swing with precise forehands paired with forward movement.

Gauff surged to a 5-1 advantage in the decisive third set, but Andreeva mounted a comeback, winning three straight games to reach 5-4 amid vocal support from her coaching team. The world number four steadied herself in a tense, 13-minute final game, converting her fifth match point after Andreeva saved two. Gauff finished with two aces, four double faults, a 61 percent win rate on first serves, and converted seven of 17 break points, compared to Andreeva's five of 12.

Both players arrived in top form on clay. Gauff overcame...