Andrea Petkovic says what she realised about a 14-year-old Coco Gauff when they practised together

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Coco Gauff has secured her place in the semi-finals of the French Open after her quarter-final win over Madison Keys.

Former professional Sam Querrey gave Keys a chance against Gauff, but it was the second seed who came out on top in their French Open tie.

Gauff was backed to win the French Open by Roger Federer’s former coach Paul Annacone, and she now needs just two victories to do that.

WTA number two Gauff overcame fellow American Keys under a closed roof on Court Philippe-Chatrier, where she came from behind to win 6-7(6-8), 6-4, 6-1.

The result brings an end to an 11-match Grand Slam winning run from Keys, who won the Australian Open in January.

What Andrea Petkovic realised about a 14-year-old Coco Gauff during practice

It also sees Gauff level her head-to-head with her compatriot to 3-3, with the 21-year-old having now won both of their Grand Slam meetings.

She is already a WTA superstar despite her youth, with former professional Andrea Petkovic having shared insight into her rise early on in the match against Keys.

READ MORE: Coco Gauff makes strong claim about Madison Keys’ forehand after knocking her out of the French Open

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live during the first set, former world number nine Petkovic said: “I played Coco Gauff in the semi-finals when she won her first title in Linz.

“I practised with her when she was 14 in Miami. I realised this was not just any 14-year-old. This was a potential future star.

“A year later she got to the Wimbledon fourth round. The athleticism was from a different planet, she was so focused, so locked in.”

Andrea Petkovic spots something different with Coco Gauff in French Open semi-final

The 2019 Linz title was just the beginning of her stunning success, with Gauff now a nine-time WTA champion.

One of those titles has arrived at Grand Slam level, when as a 19-year-old she won the 2023 US Open final against Aryna Sabalenka.

READ MORE: Aryna Sabalenka explains why she was cheering on Jack Draper to beat Alexander Bublik in the fourth set at Roland Garros

That arrived a year after she lost the 2022 French Open final to Iga Swiatek, who Gauff could face at Roland Garros once more this week.

The Pole is also into the semi-finals of the clay court Grand Slam, where she takes on world number one Sabalenka.

Gauff meanwhile meets the winner of Mirra Andreeva and Lois Boisson, having reached the last four for the second successive year.

One stage of her latest victory was, however, unusual in the eyes of Petkovic, who said after Gauff lost the first set to Keys: “In the last five or 10 minutes, Coco Gauff has been doing something that I haven’t seen her do on clay lately.

“She is lifting her left foot up when she is hitting her forehand, which of course has a lot to do with the power of Madison Keys’ shots.

“It is a technical issue that usually comes through on quicker surfaces usually and not so much on clay. Something seems to be off with her serve and forehand on this clay court.”