Coco Gauff eliminated Mirra Andreeva in the Madrid Open quarterfinals on Wednesday, April 30. It was their first meeting since the 2023 US Open, where the American won 6-3, 6-2.
The American’s previous dominance over the Russian had no bearing on her mindset, and she later offered a clear explanation for why she chose not to dwell on their past encounter.
Coco Gauff Explains Why She Treated Her Clash With Mirra Andreeva as a Fresh Challenge
Andreeva showed some resistance in the first set, as she put her opponent down a break at 5-4. However, Gauff bounced back well, winning nine of the next ten games to close out the match 7-5, 6-1 in just under an hour and a half.
Speaking to Tennis Channel’s Prakash Amritraj after the match, the World No. 4 said she approached the match as a completely new challenge, noting that Andreeva had evolved significantly since 2023.
Earlier during the aforementioned interview, Gauff described the match as a ‘seesaw’ affair but stayed confident, believing her numerous break opportunities would eventually pay off.
“Yeah it was definitely a seesaw affair. I had a lot of break opportunities, so I just knew that eventually it will go my way, when I’m giving myself so many looks at taking those breaks. But yeah, I am really happy with how I played today. Obviously, she is a tough opponent, playing some great tennis. I don’t know, I just feel like today was a good day for me,” she said ( at 0:8).
Gauff faces a potentially tough test in the Madrid Open semifinals against Iga Swiatek, given the Pole’s superior 11-3 lead in their head-to-head. However, the American’s recent wins over Swiatek, at the WTA Finals last year and the United Cup, are likely to give her a psychological edge heading into their clash. Whoever wins will face either No. 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka or Elina Svitolina in the final.
