Coco Gauff’s journey at the Eastbourne International came to an end after she lost in straight sets 6-3, 6-3 to fellow American Madison Keys in the semi-finals on Friday.
Keys had the edge when she broke Gauff in the fifth and ninth game to clinch the first set in 37 minutes.
Fifth seed Gauff broke Keys in the first game of the second set but suffered a setback while leading 2-1 as she committed three consecutive double faults which allowed Keys back in the match.
Keys has not dropped a set in the tournament and squandered three match points at 5-3. She however held her nerve to serve out the match.
A notable moment for 28-year-old Keys was when she had a fall in the fifth game of the second set and had to play through the pain for the rest of the match.
Unlocking a #RothesayInternational final spot ????@Madison_Keys wins the all-American battle vs Coco Gauff 6-3, 6-3 to move into tomorrow's final ???? pic.twitter.com/aIuZnmi4bv
— LTA (@the_LTA) June 30, 2023
The win was also Keys’ first over a top-10 player on grass since she beat Germany’s Angelique Kerber at the 2014 Eastbourne edition.
She will get to play ninth seed Daria Kasatkina in the final. The Russian defeated Camila Giorgi in the other semi-final 6-2, 7-5.
