"I can’t always control how I play. Obviously I’d love to win in straight sets all the time" - Another closely fought battle goes the way of Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff loves the Rome Open. She has confirmed a fourth semi-final appearance at Foro Italico after defeating the inform Mirra Andreeva 4-6, 6-2, 6-4. It was not easy by any means, but Gauff managed to get the job done with another resilient showing.

Andreeva had won 15 of her prior 17 matches on clay in 2026, winning the title in Linz while reaching the final in Madrid. She was in brilliant form, and this looked set to continue as the 19-year-old took the first set. It was a familiar pattern for Gauff who would need to muster up another thrilling comeback.

She was much better in the second set, quickly getting proceedings back level before taking a hugely ominous 5-1 lead in the third. Andreeva had broken her serve at the start of the third set, but five consecutive games seemed like the final nail in the coffin for the Russian. She did attempt a comeback, saving two match points in two games as she got the match back on serve. However, Gauff would be afforded more chances in a topsy turvey match. She created another three match points, getting the job done in the end.

She reviewed her performance after another tricky tie. "I think I had some chances in the first set, and in that 3-all game I missed a couple of volleys, but I felt like I was playing the right way," she told the Tennis Channel. "I just needed to land a few more shots in the court. In the second set, I was able to do that."

It got very sketchy late on. After leading 5-1, Andreeva won three consecutive games which involved two breaks while saving two match points. Gauff did not rue these missed chances, focusing on the next one. "I was trying to find the balance between being aggressive and not missing. On some of those match points, I made a few unforced errors, but it was also about forgetting them quickly. I mean, it’s a missed opportunity, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create another one. I was just trying to give myself as many opportunities as possible and hoping that, eventually, one would go my way."

Instead of showcasing signs of frustration and anger after those missed match points, Gauff was fist pumping the air and trying to boost herself. The same occurred after being broken.

"I just felt like I had to give myself the best chance to win," she said. "Obviously it’s disappointing when you’re up 5-1 and suddenly it’s 5-4, but I also reminded myself that I have a really good return-win percentage. I think I’m one of the best on tour percentage-wise in those situations. So I was just thinking: the numbers are on my side — hopefully they stick today."

This is becoming a trend for Gauff not just in Rome, but in most tournaments she compete in where the American will leave the court having played three sets. In this tournament alone, she came back from a set deficit against Solana Sierra before surviving a match point against Iva Jovic.

This resilience and determination is a great skill to have on court. "For me, it’s about not leaving the court with regrets," Gauff stated. "I can’t always control how I play. Obviously I’d love to win in straight sets all the time, but I’m also playing someone who, I think, was 15-2 on clay this season. Not many people have beaten her on clay this year.

"So I went into the match knowing it was probably going to be a tough, physical marathon match — and that’s exactly what it was. You mentally prepare for that while still hoping it’ll be straightforward, but that’s usually not the case when you’re facing a top-10 player. Tennis can be up, down and all over the place, but you’ve got to win with what you have that day."

She ranked her level today as B+, a much better performance than the one against Jovic in the last-16 but still room for improvement. "I thought I played pretty well today. Obviously there were some moments where maybe I got a bit passive when I had the lead, but she was also forcing errors from me and then suddenly her shots started landing, which is normal.

"I’ve been in that position myself when you’re down 5-1 or 5-2 and you suddenly think, 'Whatever,' then you win a few points and it becomes 5-4 and now you feel like you’ve got a chance. But overall, I thought I played much better than I did in my last match, even though the result looked similar. I just felt a lot better on court today."

It will be a rematch against Sorana Cirstea in the semi-final. The Romanian caused a huge stir after defeating world number one Aryna Sabalenka, preventing a possible repeat from last year's Roland Garros final. They have played twice this year, both won in three sets by the two-time Grand Slam champion.

"She’s a great player, and obviously it’s her last season, so she’s probably playing with even more freedom and nothing to lose. I’m expecting another tough battle. I’ll be ready for it, and hopefully I can get through to the final."