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Coco Gauff Wins Epic 39-Shot Rally | 2026 US Open
The American fourth seed overcame a difficult start and saved two match points before defeating the fifth-seeded Andreeva, 2-6, 7-6(7-9), 6-2, on Wednesday at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The comeback sent Gauff into the US Open semifinals for the second time in her career.
A Point That Changed Everything
The match appeared to be slipping away from Gauff when the second-set tiebreak reached a critical stage.
Andreeva had controlled much of the opening set, winning it 6-2 in just 26 minutes. Gauff was struggling with her forehand and serving, while Andreeva's clean ball-striking kept the American under constant pressure.
But Gauff refused to let the match go.
During the second set, the two players engaged in a remarkable 39-shot rally, with neither willing to give up ground. Gauff eventually ended the point with a perfectly placed drop shot, producing one of the most memorable exchanges of the tournament.
The point helped Gauff move ahead 5-3, but Andreeva immediately fought back.
Two Match Points Saved
The drama only intensified from there.
After Gauff reached 5-3, Andreeva battled back to 5-5 and then earned two separate match points in the tiebreak. On the first, another lengthy exchange ended when Andreeva sent a forehand long. She earned another opportunity moments later on her own serve, but again missed with her forehand.
Gauff seized the opening.
She powered a forehand into the corner to force another error from Andreeva and closed out the second set 9-7 in the tiebreak.
Suddenly, the momentum had completely shifted.
Gauff Takes Control
The third set looked dramatically different from the first.
Andreeva began making more errors, while Gauff settled into the aggressive, composed tennis that had carried her through the tournament. She broke Andreeva twice and committed just two unforced errors in the deciding set.
Gauff eventually closed out the match 6-2, raising her arms in celebration as the Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd erupted.
The victory extended her Grand Slam three-set record to an impressive 20-4 since the beginning of 2023.
‘I Just Had to Reset’
Gauff acknowledged afterward that she had to mentally reset after a difficult opening set.
“I think I just had to reset,” Gauff said, explaining that she was not feeling the ball well early and was giving Andreeva too many opportunities. She also drew inspiration from fellow American Frances Tiafoe, who had produced his own comeback at the tournament the previous day.
Gauff's ability to stay in the match proved decisive.
What started as a one-sided opening set turned into a battle of nerve, with the 22-year-old American surviving the biggest moments when elimination was only a point away.
A Semifinal Showdown Awaits
Gauff now moves on to face Elena Rybakina in the semifinals.
Rybakina defeated Zheng Qinwen in the quarterfinals and is set to become the new world No. 1. Gauff and Rybakina are tied at 1-1 in their career head-to-head meetings, although Rybakina won their most recent encounter in Toronto earlier this summer.
For Gauff, the victory over Andreeva was about more than reaching another semifinal. It was another demonstration of her ability to survive pressure, find another level and keep fighting when a match appears to be slipping away.
And at the center of it all was a 39-shot rally that helped turn the tide.
Source: U.S. Open
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