Somehow, Coco Gauff is a typical 18-year-old, entering Philippe Chatrier’s court for her Roland-Garros semifinals with headphones in place, listening to a playlist that explained that it’s called “Rap “and I can’t say the next word.”
And somehow, she’s an old soul, anything but a regular teenager, or a regular tennis player.
Thus, when Gauff ended his 6-3, 6-1 victory over Martina Trevisan to reach his first Grand Slam final, preparing for a match against Iga Swiatek, number 1 in the rankings, the American thought in the recent wave of mass shootings in his home country and wrote on the marker of a television camera next to the court: “Peace. End armed violence.”
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“I woke up this morning and saw that there was another shooting, and I think it’s crazy. I know it’s getting more attention now. But … that’s been a problem, at least in my head, for a long time. I think we need to make some reforms, “Gauff said. “I think now, especially at 18, I’ve been trying to educate myself in certain situations, because now I have the right to vote and I want to use it wisely.”
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Willingness to talk about important topics and a broad view of the world reflect the kind of maturity that has served him well, especially with so much attention from such a young age. He won the junior title at the French Open at the age of 14. He became the youngest qualifier in Wimbledon history and then beat Venus Williams on the way to the fourth round there at the age of 15.
Coco Gauff is the youngest Grand Slam finalist since 2004. (Getty)
“From what I see on the court, it’s basically developing every year,” said Swiatek, the Roland-Garros champion in 2020 and with a streak of 34 straight victories after beating No. 20 Daria Kasatkina 6-2. and 6-1. “And when I see her, I tend to forget she’s 18.”
Oh, but it is.
When Gauff arrived in Paris just over two weeks ago, he celebrated his recent high school graduation by posing for photos with a cap and dress near the Eiffel Tower while holding his diploma. She is now the youngest player to win a major title match since Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon at the age of 17 in 2004.
Gauff has won the 12 sets he has played, although he did not need to navigate the hardest path to achieve this. Due to all sorts of amazing results and the first outings of the best players in the group, he has only faced one enemy leader in the series, the number 31 Elise Mertens.
Great services that reached 185 km / h against Trevisan, a fantastic setback and an even better right are the keys to the game of the 18th series leader Gauff.
Trevisan also praised Gauff’s defense, as if facing her with a blow against a wall: every ball returns.
Now, in Swiatek, someone is coming who will present a much tougher test. The only Polish player to win a major individual title has not lost since February, chaining five tournaments in a row; only Venus Williams, who won 35 straight games in 2000, has the longest unbeaten run this century.
“I’m just trying to treat these parties like any other,” Swiatek said, “because it’s stressful, and I accept it. But I want to keep doing the same job.”
The men’s semifinals are on Friday night, with thirteen-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal playing with No. 3 seed Alexander Zverev, and 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic facing No. 8 Casper Ruud.
With just a few clouds above and the temperature hovering around 25 degrees, the two women’s semifinals followed a similar pattern.
Swiatek-Kasatkina were left to 2-all. Swiatek have then won 10 of their last 11 matches.
Gauff-Trevisan was on 3-all. Gauff then claimed nine of the last 10 games.
Trevisan is a 28-year-old left-hander who came into the day with a streak of 10 straight wins, including her first WTA title of her career in Rabat, Morocco, a week before the game began at Roland Garros. He also defeated Gauff the only time before they played: in the second round in Paris two years ago.
On Thursday there were brief strokes of tension that had little to do with the scoreboard.
Coco Gauff will face Iga Swiatek in the Roland-Garros final. (Getty)
Trevisan was shocked when chair referee Marijana Veljovic warned her about the grunts: “I always play like this,” the Italian said, after Gauff asked the officer if it was okay for his opponent’s cries. “Ahhhh!” they were stretching on Gauff’s racket swings.
Gauff questioned Veljovic about a couple of line calls, whistling and booing at viewers who mistreat such things. After one of these interactions, Trevisan broke the service to get the 3-3. Uncomfortably, Gauff broke his back to lead 4-3, hitting a backhand winner who pushed his mother and father out of their seats into the player’s guest box.
Now there is a match to determine a champion: the dominant Swiatek against the early Gauff.
“Now I’m in a mindset like, ‘It doesn’t matter.’ I mean, I’ll be happy, no matter what. My parents will love me, no matter what. “I mean, yes, it’s a Grand Slam final, but there are so many things in the world right now, and especially in the United States a lot of things are happening right now, so I don’t think it’s important to stress about a tennis game. “.
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