Coco Gauff advances to US Open quarterfinals for first time with straight-sets win

NEW YORK — Coco Gauff reached the US Open quarterfinals for the first time by coming back in each set to beat Shuai Zhang of China 7-5, 7-5 in front of a partisan crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday.

The 18-year-old Floridian, the runner-up at the French Open in June, trailed 5-4 in the opening set, then 5-3 in the second, which she was a point from losing.

But buoyed by spectators who cheered her every point, chanted «Let's go, Coco!'' as the end neared and prompted Zhang to cover her ears with her hands, Gauff improved to 4-0 in Ashe this year. She'd never previously won a match at the biggest arena in Grand Slam tennis.

»It feels insane. I mean, Ashe Stadium chanting my name?'' Gauff, yet to drop a set in the tournament, said during her on-court interview. «I was trying not to smile on the bench on the changeover. I was trying to stay in the moment.''

Gauff is the youngest American woman into the US Open quarterfinals since Melanie Oudin was 17 in 2009.

Gauff also was the player from any country in the fourth round of the women's bracket at Flushing Meadows this year. Zhang, at 33, was the oldest.

They both competed mostly from the baseline, trading powerful groundstrokes, especially on the backhand side, which both players favor. And the longer the exchanges, the more success Gauff found: She claimed 45 points that lasted five or more strokes, while Zhang won 26 of those.

Now the 12th-seeded Gauff will move on to face No. 17 Caroline Garcia of France, who is playing as well as anyone at the moment, coming off a hard-court title at Cincinnati right before play began in New York.

Garcia eliminated No. 29 Alison Riske-Amritraj of the U.S. 6-4, 6-1 to, like, Gauff, earn her debut berth in the US Open quarterfinals.

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