Coco Gauff clinches place in US Open quarter-finals against Caroline Garcia with brilliant display to beat Zhang Shaui

Coco Gauff is through to the US Open quarter-finals for the first time following a thrilling 7-5 7-5 victory over Zhang Shuai on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

The 12th seed produced a brilliant display in front of a raucous home crowd, sealing the first set in 55 minutes with a brilliant winner up the line after breaking Zhang three times in an absorbing battle.

It looked like Zhang would take the match to a decider when she broke Gauff at 5-3, but the 18-year-old broke back immediately and took the next three games to book her place in the last eight.

She will next face in-form 17th seed Caroline Garcia after she beat Alison Riske 6-4 6-1.

In a meeting between the youngest player left in the draw – 18-year-old Gauff – and the oldest player left in the draw – 33-year-old Zhang – it was the latter who started brighter.

After a lengthy hold to open the match, Zhang converted her third break point in the next game to move 2-0 ahead.

Gauff hit straight back after getting to 15-40 on the Zhang serve and then escaped from the same scoreline on her own serve to level at 2-2.

The momentum continued to go back and forth in a high-quality set.

Eventually, though, it was Gauff who won three games in a row to take it in 55 minutes.

Still Gauff couldn’t shake Zhang in the second set and the American needed to find a brilliant backhand winner to save an early break point.

Gauff then had the crowd in Ashe on their feet as she raced to the net to recover a drop shot and flicked a forehand winner past Zhang.

As the rain pounded down on the closed roof, Zhang continued to look for a way through Gauff’s defence.

Gauff won a 16-shot rally to earn a break point at 2-2 but went long with a forehand.

The teenager then fell 15-40 behind on serve in the seventh game and Zhang broke with a fierce backhand winner down the line.

Gauff had two chances to break straight back but netted on both. Zhang then failed to clinch a set point and was broken as she went long.

That proved the critical game as Gauff held and then broke to love. Gauff sealed her place in the quarter-finals as she took her first match point when Zhang netted.

Garcia continued her fantastic form as she beat Alison Riske 6-4 6-1 to make her second major quarter-final.

Garcia, 28, is yet to drop a set and should provide a tough test for Gauff, who has won their previous two meetings.

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