In a breathtaking display of resilience, Coco Gauff, the world No. 4, staged a miraculous comeback to defeat Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva 7-5, 6-1 in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Mutua Madrid Open on April 30. The 21-year-old American, facing a formidable challenge from the No. 7 seed, turned the tide after staring down two set points in the opening set, securing her first semi-final berth of the season. Now, Gauff braces for a titanic clash against defending champion Iga Swiatek, the world No. 2, in a semi-final that promises to electrify the Caja Mágica. With rankings points and momentum at stake, this victory marks a pivotal moment in Gauff’s clay-court campaign.
The quarter-final showdown pitted two of the WTA’s brightest young stars against each other, with Gauff, 21, and Andreeva, who turned 18 the day before, representing the future of women’s tennis. Their third career meeting—Gauff won both prior encounters in 2023 at the French Open and US Open—began with a tense exchange of breaks. Andreeva, riding a five-match winning streak against top-10 players, including victories over Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka this season, seized the initiative. She broke Gauff early, defended four break points, and surged to a 5-4 lead, serving for the set with two set points at 40-15. “Andreeva served for the opening set, held set points, and Coco took over thereafter,” noted a tennis observer, capturing the match’s turning point.
Gauff, however, refused to yield. Displaying the mental fortitude that powered her to the 2023 US Open title, she saved both set points, broke back to level at 5-5, and won three consecutive games to snatch the first set 7-5 after 63 minutes. “I think I played really well and was able to stay composed even when I was facing set points,” Gauff said in her on-court interview, rating her performance a “nine” out of ten. The second set was a masterclass in dominance. Gauff reeled off eight straight games, building a 5-0 lead as Andreeva’s unforced errors piled up—28 compared to Gauff’s 22. Despite a late hold from Andreeva, Gauff sealed the 1-hour, 32-minute victory with 18 winners to Andreeva’s 15, showcasing her superior backhand and court coverage.
This triumph, Gauff’s first Madrid semi-final in her fifth appearance, underscores her growing clay-court prowess. After a first-round bye, she overcame a 6-0 first-set deficit against Dayana Yastremska to win 0-6, 6-2, 7-5, then dispatched Ann Li 6-2, 6-4 and Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-2. “I had that tough match in the first round, and even though it was tough, I feel like it really prepared me,” Gauff reflected, crediting her early battle for sharpening her resolve. Her 85% first-serve point win rate against Bencic and just one break point faced in that match highlighted her serving strength, though her 9.2% double-fault rate in 2025 remains a concern.
Gauff’s path to the semi-finals places her among elite company. She’s only the second player to reach the Madrid quarter-finals after losing an opening set 6-0, joining a rare statistical club. Her victory over Andreeva, who won Dubai and Indian Wells titles this year, boosts her live ranking points to 6,343, reclaiming the US No. 1 spot from Jessica Pegula and positioning her to challenge Swiatek for world No. 2. To overtake Swiatek’s 6,773 points, Gauff must win the Madrid title, a feat that would net her 6,953 points and mark her first WTA 1000 crown of 2025.
The semi-final against Swiatek, set for May 1 at 4 p.m. local time, is their 15th career meeting, with Swiatek leading 11-3, including