French Open 2022: 18-year-old Coco Gauff becomes youngest Grand Slam finalist since 2001, to face Iga Swiatek

Reported By:| Edited By: |Source: ANI |Updated: Jun 03, 2022, 06:46 AM IST

18-year-old American tennis player Coco Gauff stormed into her maiden Grand Slam final after defeating Italy’s Martina Trevisan in the women’s singles semi-final at Roland Garros in the French Open tournament on Thursday.

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Coco Gauff will face world number one Iga Swiatek for the French Open title after the teenager eased into her maiden Grand Slam final with a straight-sets victory over Martina Trevisan on Thursday.

The 18-year-old American claimed a 6-3, 6-1 win in a match which saw both players featuring in a semi-final for the first time.

Gauff is the youngest Grand Slam finalist since Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004. 

“I think I’m a little bit in shock right now. I didn’t know how to react after the match. I’m lost for words,” said Gauff after the match.

“Today I think I played the best I could”

No.18 @CocoGauff on reaching her first Grand Slam final at #RolandGarros
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 2, 2022

“I wasn’t nervous going in today, I haven’t been nervous all week which is a surprise. I go for a walk in the morning which clears my head and, after that, I feel great” she said. 

Notably, restricting the surprising run of unseeded Italian Martina Trevisan in Thursday’s semifinals, Gauff, who turned 18 in March, is the youngest player to reach the final in Paris since Kim Clijsters in 2001.

Further, Polish player Iga Natalia Swiatek is currently ranked world No. 1 by the Women’s Tennis Association and is the youngest player ranked in the top ten. Swiatek was the champion at the 2020 French Open and is the first player representing Poland to win a Grand Slam singles title.