Elina Svitolina of Ukraine delivered a quarterfinal masterclass at the Australian Open 2026, thrashing No. 3 seed Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-2 to storm into her debut semifinal at the event. This milestone appearance is her fourth Grand Slam semi overall.
The swift 59-minute encounter highlighted Svitolina’s peak prowess. From the first ball, her attacking mindset and flawless movement dismantled Gauff’s game. The American battled service woes and unforced errors, with double faults proving costly in the first set, where Svitolina surged to a 6-1 lead via pinpoint baseline winners.
Gauff fought back in set two, mixing in effective wide serves, yet Svitolina’s poise shone through. Five service breaks later, the Ukrainian sealed a commanding win, extending her streak to 10 matches—third-longest in her career after 15 in 2017 and 11 in 2025.
Entering as world No. 12 with a fresh Auckland WTA title (her 19th), Svitolina remains unbeaten in sets at Melbourne. Husband Gael Monfils cheered from courtside, boosting her spirits. Expect a WTA Top-10 return next week, first since October 2021.
Gauff fell to Svitolina’s 24th Top-5 victory, four of which are Grand Slam triumphs post-maternity. The win underscores Svitolina’s resilience.
Thursday’s semifinal against top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka looms large. A potential first Grand Slam final awaits the winner in what shapes up as an explosive showdown.