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Coco Gauff continues winning spree in Linz

By Jordaan Sanford

In her first tournament since her emotional US Open third-round loss to Naomi Osaka, Cori "Coco" Gauff is through to her maiden WTA tour-level semifinals.

The 15-year-old, who had fallen at the last hurdle in qualifying against Tamara Korpatch, 6-4, 6-2, became a lucky loser. Just fifteen minutes before Maria Sakkari was supposed to start her campaign in Linz, the Greek withdrew with a right wrist injury, making room for Gauff.

In her first-round match, Gauff defeated Stefanie Vogele, 6-3, 7-6 (3), and followed that with a 4-6, 6-4, 2-0 win over Kateryna Kozlova—the teen was up a break in the decider when Kozlova was forced to retire due to a left lower leg injury.

Cori Gauff of US and her father Gorey Gauff react during the WTA-Upper Austria Ladies tennis match against Kateryna Kozlova of Ukraine (unseen) on October 9, 2019 in Linz, Austria. (Photo by BARBARA GINDL / APA / AFP) / Austria OUT (Photo by BARBARA GINDL/APA/AFP via Getty Images)
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On Friday, she knocked out top seed Kiki Bertens, 7-6, 6-4, to claim her first career Top-10 win.

Just when you think it's over for Gauff, the 15-year-old always has a way of surprising us. Now, she's just two matches away from tossing out the title of  'lucky loser' and wearing 'champion' instead.

Gauff will next face world No. 75 Andrea Petkovic for a ticket into the Linz final.