Coco Gauff dug deep to secure her third consecutive Italian Open semi-final appearance on Tuesday, battling past Mirra Andreeva in a thrilling three-set clash at Foro Italico. The American world No. 3 emerged victorious after two hours and 18 minutes, winning 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, but not without a few tense moments along the way.

Speaking after the match, Gauff admitted she had to raise her game after a slow start. "I thought I played pretty well today," she told Tennis Channel's Prakash Amritraj in Rome. "In some moments I maybe was a bit passive when I had the lead, but also she was giving me some unforced errors and then they started landing, which is normal."

The 20-year-old acknowledged Andreeva's resilience, especially when the Russian teenager fought back from a 5-1 deficit in the third set. "I have been in that position where you are down 5-1 or 5-2 and then you are like whatever, and all of a sudden you win a couple of points and it's 5-4 and you're like I have a chance!" Gauff said. "For me, I played way better than I did in my last match, even though the result was the same, but I felt a lot better on the court today. So maybe a B+."

One standout aspect of Gauff's performance was her serving, an area that has troubled her recently. She fired two aces and committed just four double faults across three sets, though her second serve remains a work in progress—she won only 38.5% of those points. For fans tracking her gear choices, Gauff's on-court confidence often mirrors her outfit selection, and she'll be looking to dial in every element of her game heading into the semis.

Next up for Gauff is Sorana Cirstea, who advanced after defeating former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko. The 36-year-old Romanian has announced she will retire at the end of the season, making this a poignant run. "She is a great player and obviously it's her last season, so she is definitely playing with nothing to lose more so than ever," Gauff said. "I am going to go out there and expect another tough battle. I will be ready for it and hopefully I can get through to the final."

Gauff holds a perfect 3-0 record against Cirstea, but with the veteran playing some of her best tennis, this semi-final promises to be a compelling test of nerves and skill under the Rome sun.