No. 18 seed Coco Gauff defeated fellow American Sloane Stephens from the 2022 French Open in the quarterfinals Tuesday. The 18-year-old Gauff defeated Stephens 7-5, 6-2 to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal. Gauff last faced Stephens at last year’s US Open, where she lost in straight sets. Stephens, 29, won the 2017 US Open and was a finalist for the 2018 French Open.

Gauff said after the win:  “Even last year I was too focused on trying to fulfill other people’s expectations. I know no matter how good or bad my career is, I think I’m a great person. So I think that’s a message for all the young players out here: Even in life in general, your results or your job or how much money you make doesn’t define you as a person. So just know that if you love yourself, who cares what anyone else thinks.”

Gauff will now face world no. 59 Martina Trevisan on Thursday for a place in the final.

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