{"id":44143,"date":"2024-01-05T12:05:07","date_gmt":"2024-01-05T12:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/insane-gauff-powers-into-auckland-semi-finals-the-express-tribune\/"},"modified":"2024-01-05T12:05:07","modified_gmt":"2024-01-05T12:05:07","slug":"insane-gauff-powers-into-auckland-semi-finals-the-express-tribune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/insane-gauff-powers-into-auckland-semi-finals-the-express-tribune\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Insane’ Gauff powers into Auckland semi-finals | The Express Tribune"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nAUCKLAND:
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Coco Gauff continued the ruthless defence of her Auckland Classic title on Friday with a 6-1, 6-1 trouncing of Varvara Gracheva to set up a semi-final against fellow American Emma Navarro.<\/p>\n

With rain clouds gathering, Gauff was in the mood for a swift victory over her French opponent and achieved it in 52 minutes in another ominous display ahead of the Australian Open.<\/p>\n

The world number three and US Open champion clinched the title in Auckland last year without dropping a set and is on track to repeat that feat.<\/p>\n

The 19-year-old was particularly happy with her serving, conceding just 11 points against eighth seed Gracheva off her serve and not giving up a single break point.<\/p>\n

“I thought I served really well, probably the best so far at this tournament, which is something I was really working on in the off-season,” the top seed Gauff<\/a> said.<\/p>\n

Fourth-seeded Navarro defeated the seventh seed Petra Martic 6-4, 6-3 in their quarter-final.<\/p>\n

Navarro recovered from a slow start to break the Croat’s serve six times and said she would need to bring the same level of aggression against Gauff.<\/p>\n

The pair practised together this week, having not played each other since their early teens.<\/p>\n

“She’s an insane athlete. She covers the court super-well and is really solid in her whole game. There’s no holes in her game,” Navarro said of Gauff.<\/p>\n

In the two other quarter-finals later on Friday, Ukrainian second seed Elena Svitolina faces fifth seed Marie Bouzkova while Wang Xiyu plays Diane Parry in a clash of two unseeded players.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n