Brilliant Gauff reaches Roland Garros semi-finals

American teenager Coco Gauff defeated compatriot Sloane Stephens to surge into the French Open semi-finals where she will take on unseeded Italian Martina Trevisan.

The 18-year-old Gauff, who clinched her maiden clay-court title at the Emilia-Romagna Open last year, has been growing fond of playing on the slow surface and she made it through to the last four of a Grand Slam for the first time with a 7-5 6-2 victory.

Gauff, who burst onto the scene by reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon at the age of 15, said: "Even last year I was too focused on fulfilling other people's expectations. No matter how good or bad my career is, I think I'm a great person.

"Your results or your job or how much money you make doesn't define you as a person."

The teenager stormed into a 5-2 lead in a one-sided start but Stephens, US Open champion in 2017 and finalist in Paris a year later, battled to get the breaks back and levelled at 5-5.

Gauff, who has not dropped a set in her run to last four, recovered just in time to win eight of the next nine points and bag the opening set.

Another break put her 3-1 up and she managed to return almost everything Stephens threw at her.

Instead of serving out the match, she double-faulted twice again to give her opponent a brief reprieve before winning it on Stephens' serve in the very next game.

Gauff claimed finishing her exams was tougher than reaching the semi-finals at Roland Garros.

She graduated from high school while in Paris having successfully combined her studies with life on the WTA Tour.

"Was graduating tougher? Yes because I know how hard it was to do school and play tennis on the road," said the 18th seed.

"Other players in general get out of sight with life and we think tennis is the