Rome, May 13 (IANS) World No. 3 Coco Gauff required five match points to fight off Mirra Andreeva and advance to the semifinals of the Italian Open for the fourth time in her career.

Nearly seeing a 5-1, two-break lead in the third set against No. 8 seed Andreeva, Gauff needed five match points to secure a 4-6, 0-2, 6-4 win.

The American is through to her 15th 1000-level WTA Tour semifinal and third of 2026 (Dubai and Miami), and is just the second player in the Open Era to claim three or more comeback wins to reach the Italian Open after Nathalie Tauziat (1989).

The 2025 Rome finalist Gauff will next encounter Sorana Cirstea for a spot in the 2026 final, meeting the Romanian for the third time this season and in back-to-back tournaments.

Andreeva held a 3-1 lead in the first set and handled it well at times, often hitting her shots right toward Gauff at the net or finding the open lane for a pass down-the-line or crosscourt. In a close first set, Andreeva finished with 10 winners to just seven unforced errors, and vice versa for Gauff, WTA reports.

Gauff bolted out to a 3-0 lead, up a break, and never looked back in the second set. Andreeva became more frustrated, seemingly rushing to the service line in between points, and recorded 11 unforced errors in the second set as Gauff forced a decider.

It seemed initially Gauff was going to runaway with it, up a double break with a 5-1 lead. Gauff had carried the momentum from the second set, using her significant speed to her advantage and benefitting from some costly Andreeva unforced errors.

She was one game away — and even two points away — from her fourth-career 6-1 set against Andreeva, and that’s when everything changed.

–IANS

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