Africa hope Jabeur reaches US Open semis, Garcia ends Gauff's dream

Tunisian fifth seed Ons Jabeur overcame her own frustrations to reach the US Open semifinals by beating Australian Ajla Tomljanovic 6-4 7-6(4) on Tuesday, becoming the first Arab woman to make the final four at the New York hard court major.

Tomljanovic survived tennis' biggest spotlight when she beat Serena Williams in a packed, third-round prime time affair on Friday but could not keep up in the quarterfinal after Jabeur sent over three aces and 15 winners in the first set.

The Wimbledon finalist has a well-earned reputation as Tunisia's “Minister of Happiness” but found her own good cheer tested as the unforced errors piled up in the second set and she threw her racket several times. Though she broke Tomljanovic in the opening game of the second set, her grip on the match began to waver as her serve deteriorated and the Australian converted three of four break point opportunities.

“I think I'm going to be fired here from my job, Minister of Happiness,” Jabeur joked in an on-court interview.

“Tennis is a tough sport and I apologise for my behaviour, but the racket kept slipping away from my hand.”

Tomljanovic handed Jabeur a break with a double fault in the ninth game and whacked the ball into the net on the final point of the tiebreak as the stone-faced Tunisian pumped her fist in a subdued celebration.

Jabeur faces France's Caroline Garcia next, who is playing some of the best tennis of career and last month became the first qualifier to win in Cincinnati.

“I know she plays really aggressive, and a tough game,” said Jabeur.

“So whoever is going to be able to impose her game is going to be in better form. So I will try to play my game. I will try to be me.”

Garcia crushed Coco Gauff's dreams of taking up the mantle from retiring American great Serena Williams and winning her first US Open with a comprehensive 6-3 6-4 win on Tuesday.

The Frenchwoman wasted no time in putting pressure on 18-year-old Gauff, stepping into the court to attack her second serve and clobbering forehands to race out to a 4-0 lead as rain-soaked fans were still finding their seats at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Garcia, seeded 17th, took the first set with an exquisite volley and kept her foot on the gas in the second, breaking Gauff in first game to keep the New York crowd hushed. Gauff, the 12th seed, had her best chance of climbing back into the match when she had a breakpoint opportunity to get back on serve while trailing 3-2.

But Garcia fired two unreturnable first serves and held after an exhausting rally when Gauff's passing shot sailed long, leaving the teenager looking dejected. Garcia sealed the win when Gauff's backhand landed in the net on match point, stretching out her arms and racing around the court to celebrate reaching her first grand slam semifinal.