U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff faced a formidable challenge from Ukrainian Marta Kostyuk but ultimately secured victory to reach the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Gauff won 7-6(6), 6-7(3), 6-2 in a match that lasted over three hours in the scorching heat of Rod Laver Arena. Despite some ups and downs, Gauff, the fourth seed, managed to overcome her opponent, fulfilling the coach Brad Gilbert’s mantra of “Winning Ugly.” This marks Gauff’s first appearance in the Australian Open semi-finals, and she will face either Aryna Sabalenka or Barbora Krejcikova in the next round.