Coco Gauff advanced to her first Grand Slam semi-final at the 2022 French Open by defeating American compatriot Sloane Stephens, but emphasized that completing high school while competing professionally posed greater challenges.
The 18-year-old world No. 23 secured a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Stephens, setting up a semifinal clash against Italy's Martina Trevisan. Gauff's path to the quarterfinals included a 2018 junior title at Roland Garros and a breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2019 when she became the youngest qualifier at 15.
During the tournament, Gauff graduated from high school, sharing an Instagram post featuring a family photo at the Eiffel Tower. "Was graduating tougher? Yes," she stated. "I know how hard it was to do school and play tennis on the road. Other players think tennis is the most important thing in the world. It is not. Getting my diploma meant a lot to me."
The win avenged her US Open loss to Stephens and helped overcome last year's French Open quarterfinal defeat to Barbora Krejcikova. Gauff described the match as a test of mental resilience against a player capable of extraordinary shots.
The encounter saw Gauff break early in the first set before Stephens leveled the score at 5-5. Gauff regained control with precise play to win the opening set, then maintained momentum in the second set to secure the victory.