Coco Gauff: US Open champion cruises into ASB Classic semi-finals after easy win over Varvara Gracheva

Coco Gauff cruised into the semi-finals of the ASB Classic with a 6-1 6-1 win over Varvara Gracheva in Auckland on Friday.

The reigning US Open champion has now won her last eight matches in Auckland and not dropped a set in that time. She will play No. 4 seed Emma Navarro in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Gauff, who is defending her title in New Zealand, needed just 53 minutes to dispatch her opponent, Gracheva, after a rain-delayed start to the match.

Gauff raced to a 3-0 lead before Gracheva held her serve for the first time, but the American took the opening set in 33 minutes as her first serve, combined with her power and precision from the baseline, proved too much for the Frenchwoman.

The second set followed a similar pattern as Gauff built up a 4-0 lead. Gracheva’s unforced error count continued to rise while Gauff was clinical on break points, converting five of seven.

The world No. 3 sealed her place in the semi-finals by converting her third match point.

“I thought I served really well,” Gauff, who won 21 of 29 points on her first serve, said afterwards.

“Probably the best so far in the tournament, which is something I’ve been working on off-season. I’m really happy with how I played.

“I’m glad I was able to finish my match [before more rain].”