Coco Gauff’s US Open semi-final opponent is confirmed as Karolina Muchova beats Sorana Cirstea in straight sets to book last-four spot in New York
Coco Gauff’s opponent in US Open semifinal confirmed as Karolina Muchova beat Sorana Cirstea in straight sets to clinch last four spots in New York
- Karolina Muchova won 6-0, 6-3 to secure her spot in the semifinals of the US Open
- The Czech star called the win ‘incredible’ and ‘incredible’ afterwards
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Karolina Muchova defeated Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 6-0, 6-3 on Tuesday to kick off a US Open semifinal against American Coco Gauff.
Seeded 10th, Muchova beat 32 winners and played excellent defense to beat 33-year-old Cirstea at Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach her first US Open semifinal.
‘Incredible. It’s a very nice win and this stadium, I mean, incredible,” Muchova said.
“Thanks to everyone who came to cheer.”
French Open finalist Muchova got off to a fast start, racing to a 3-0 lead before fending off nine break points to win a marathon match and extend to 4-0.
Karolina Muchova celebrates after beating Sorana Cirstea in their quarterfinals
Muchova now faces a tough match against the popular young American Coco Gauff
Gauff had earlier dispatched Jelena Ostapenko on Arthur Ashe with relative ease
A jittery backhand from Cirstea then landed wide to put her opponent up 5-0 and Muchova completed the bagel in the next game.
After an animated conversation with her coach during the break between sets, Cirstea held on to start the second, breaking for 2–0 when her strike at the net caused Muchova to miss a passing shot.
But Muchova broke right back and again took a 4-3 lead as her net play, accurate lobs and accurate serve defined the day.
Cirstea missed a swinging volley to set up match point, which Muchova converted with a forehand winner to end the game in just over an hour and a half.
Cirstea fought back after getting a bagel in the first set, but it wasn’t enough for the win
Former Harry Potter actress Emma Watson was among the star-studded crowd at the US Open
Next for Muchova is Gauff, who won 6-0 and 6-2 against Jelena Ostapenko earlier in the day. The Czech said she knows she will play the 19-year-old American as well as the home crowd on Friday.
“Obviously she’s a great player. She has the home crowd here,” she said.
“It will be very tough, but I want to enjoy this victory and then I will try to compete with Coco.”
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; editing by Peter Rutherford)