Gauff reaches Auckland Classic semi-final in style
US Open champion Coco Gauff brushed aside Varvara Gracheva to reach the Auckland Classic semi-finals as she builds toward the Australian Open.
It took Gauff, 19, just 52 minutes to seal a 6-1 6-1 quarter-final win and set up a last-four meeting with fellow American Emma Navarro.
The Australian Open gets underway in Melbourne on 14 January.
Meanwhile, Briton Harriet Dart has reached the biggest final of her career at Canberra International.
Dart, 27, beat American Katie Volynets 7-5 3-6 7-5 in the WTA 125 series tournament, which is the rung immediately below the full WTA Tour.
The British number three faces Spain’s Nuria Parrizas Diaz in Saturday’s final and then heads to Melbourne where Australian Open qualifying begins on Monday.
Victory would put Dart on the brink of a return to the top 100.
Gauff has never been beyond the fourth round at the Australian Open, reaching that stage in 2023 and 2020, but the signs look positive for her as she looks to defend the Auckland Classic title.
“I thought I served really well, probably the best so far in the tournament, which is something I’ve been working on off-season. I’m really happy with how I played,” Gauff said.
Elsewhere, Australian Open champion and world number two Aryna Sabalenka booked her place in the semi-finals of the Brisbane International, beating Daria Kasatkina 6-1 6-4 to set up a semi-final with fellow Belarusian Victoria Azarenka.
Azarenka, who won the Australian Open in 2012 and 2013, took two hours and 30 minutes to see off third-seeded Latvian Jelena Ostapenko 6-3 3-6 7-5.
World number four Elena Rybakina will face Linda Noskova in the other semi-final after quarter-final opponent Anastasia Potapova retired at the end of the first set with a stomach problem.
Meanwhile, Briton Heather Watson and Belgian partner Greet Minnen are into the doubles final of the Brisbane International, beating Cristina Bucsa and Alexandra Panova 2-6 6-4 10-8 to set up a final against Lyudmyla Kichenok and Ostapenko.