Coco Gauff Wins 12th Straight Major Match To Advance To ...

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JANUARY 23: Coco Gauff of the United States celebrates a point in their ... [+] quarterfinals singles match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine during the 2024 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 23, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Coco Gauff overcame a talented and big-hitting opponent to win her 12th straight match at a major and reach her first Australian Open semifinal.

The new tournament favorite after world No. 1 Iga Swiatek was knocked out, No. 4 Gauff eliminated 21-year-old Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine, 7-6(6), 6-7(3), 6-2 in 3 hours, 8 minutes, to reach her third major semifinal. It was the 47th three-set match in this tightly contested Australian Open.

“Happy,” she said on court when asked how she was feeling. “Really proud of the fight that I showed today. Marta is a tough opponent. Every time we play, it’s a tough match. And yeah, I really fought and left it all out on the court today.”

Gauff, who is eyeing a second straight Grand Slam title after winning the U.S. Open, will next face either defending champion and No. 2 seed Aryna Sabalenka or former French Open champion and No. 9 Barbora Krejčíková.

The tournament winner will take home more than $2 million U.S., while the runner-up receives more than $1 million.

CANCUN, MEXICO - OCTOBER 26: Brad Gilbert coaches Coco Gauff of the United States during practice ... [+] ahead of the GNP Seguros WTA Finals Cancun 2023 part of the Hologic WTA Tour on October 26, 2023 in Cancun, Mexico (Photo by Robert Prange/Getty Images)

In the decisive third set, Gauff showed her maturity, poise and ability to problem solve. She had already won four three-set matches en route to the U.S. Open title, and knew she would have to win another to have a chance at the Melbourne title .

She earned an early break for 1-0 on the fourth break point. When she held for 2-0, her coach Brad Gilbert shouted from the player’s box, “You gotta want this more.”

In the next game, Gilbert yelled, “You got a lot left in the tank, come on.”

Gauff responded with a double-break for 3-0.

Gauff led 5-0 before Kostyuk won two straight games before Gauff held at love to win the match.

“When I came out in the third, I was just trying to play aggressive and hit through the court because I knew if I left something standing she was going to take advantage,” Gauff said.

In the first set, Gauff fought off a set point and and stormed back from a 1-5 deficit to win it in a breaker.

“I was just trying to get one more game in the first set and at least make it competitive and then one game turned into another and then I was able to win that set,” Gauff said.

Gauff double-faulted at 5-6, 30-40 to trigger the tiebreak. Kostyuk called for the trainer in that game to deal with a blister on her left foot, but may have iced herself ahead of the breaker in the process.

Kostyuk held set points in the tiebreak, but Gauff won it with a backhand volley winner, causing Kostyuk to smash her frame on the court in frustration after blowing a double-break lead.

Kostyuk continued to show frustration throughout the second set, often looking at and talking to her coach, and at one point saying she couldn’t understand what the coach was telling her.

In the second set, Gauff broke Kostyuk for a 4-2 lead.

Gauff served for the match at 5-3 but was broken.

In the second set breaker, Kostyuk raced out to a 4-0 lead.

With Kostyuk serving at 6-3, Gauff sailed a forehand long on set point, forcing a third set.