Coco Gauff weathers Ons Jabeur storm to reach French Open semi-finals

Coco Gauff is through to the semi-finals at Roland Garros (Thibault Camus/AP) (AP)

Coco Gauff survived an Ons Jabeur onslaught to reach the semi-finals of the French Open.

Third seed Gauff fell a set behind as Jabuer, looking to reach the last four at Roland Garros for the first time, went after the American’s serve from the start and broke for 4-3.

Gauff saved two set points on her own serve but Jabeur finished the job with the ball in her hand, hammering down an ace to clinch it.

Jabeur retrieved an early break in the second but Gauff hit straight back when the Tunisian drilled a forehand wide.

The balance of power had shifted when Jabeur, the eighth seed, dunked a forehand into the net to hand Gauff the double break and the second set.

When US Open champion Gauff broke and then held for 4-1 in the decider, Jabeur had won just two of 11 games.

The Tunisian flags on Court Philippe Chatrier fluttered briefly when she managed a solid hold to love and then moved to 0-30 with a spectacular leaping forehand winner.

But the fightback was quickly snuffed out as 20-year-old Gauff, the runner-up in Paris two years ago, registered a 4-6 6-2 6-3 victory in an hour and 57 minutes.

She said: “Ons is a tough opponent and well loved on tour, I can tell you guys wanted her to win, and when I’m watching her I want her to win too.

“I love playing in this atmosphere. I was just thinking, ‘this is really fun, win or lose’. I have a lot of love here in Paris too and I really appreciate it.

“I was trying to be more aggressive, she was playing really well the whole match, hitting a lot of winners. I got a little bit tight but I did what I needed to do to win the match.”