Coco Gauff is the second semifinalist of the 2023 Dubai Championships after a win over fellow compatriot Madison Keys.
The two Americans knew very well who awaits in the semifinals before they began their quarterfinal match at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre. Iga Swiatek received a walkover after Karolina Pliskova withdrew from their quarterfinal meeting, and so the young Pole is rested and ready for another match.
Gauff and Keys met twice before, with both matches played last season. In their first meeting, more experienced Keys succeeded, but in their second meeting, Gauff took a two-set win in the Flushing Meadows.
Motivated by the previous win over her compatriot and a good start to the 2023 season, Gauff had a rocket start also into the quarterfinal match against Keys. She broke her serve already in the first game and added one more break in the fifth, to win the first set 6-2.
In the second set, Gauff got the first break again, but this time, Keys managed to respond and she eventually got only two points away from winning the second set.
But that was on Gauff's serve and the teenager didn't allow any drama. In the next game, she broke Keys's service game and won the match 6-2, 7-5 in an hour and 21 minutes to set up a semifinal meeting with the world no. 1, Iga Swiatek.
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