Fan favorite Gauff and sweet-stroking Muchova reach semifinals of Miami Open

By Harvey Fialkov / Staff writer

MIAMI GARDENS –  For those seniors out there who remember ‘The Perils of Pauline,’ the heroine repeatedly escapes fatal situations at the last minute.

Tennis isn’t fatal, but Coco Gauff once again needed to extricate herself out of danger against a formidable opponent in No. 12 Belinda Bencic of Switzerland. The speedy 22-year-old from Delray Beach used her unmatched athleticism, running side-to-side to chase down Bencic’s pinpoint groundstrokes. Gauff then turned defense into offense as only she could

Gauff needed a fourth consecutive three-setter to move into her first Miami semifinal, edging Bencic, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 behind a raucous full house in Hard Rock Stadium. Her bucket-list Miami Open WTA 1000 tournament championship still has life.

Gauff will play silky stylish Karolina Muchova of Czechia, who used her stroke variety and experience to squeak by powerful 19-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, the 10^th seed, 7-5, 7-6 (5).

Muchova, 29, the 2023 French Open finalist, faced just two break points and a set point in the second set, but never lost serve. Tuesday’s match was a rematch of their final in Doha last month, also won by Muchova, 6-4, 7-5.

“It was very, very tough battle today,’’ Muchova said. “That’s what I kind of expected. Victoria is playing incredible. So, tough battle, and I’m happy I served pretty well today. It helped me a lot and I won the last point.”

The last point was an exquisite drop shot against a speedy opponent, not one of Muchova’s go-to match sealers.

“I remember in my hometown, in Olomouc, when I played a100k ITF tournament that I finished with a return drop shot, because I didn’t know what to do,’’ smiled Muchova. “So, I won that match. I remember that one, on the clay court. I have no idea how. I was 20, probably around that age, maybe Victoria’s age.”

Mboko felt the match came down to one point or two.

“She played really great,’’ said Mboko, who won the Canadian WTA 1000 last year. “I knew what to expect going in, having played her in Doha. I knew it wouldn’t be easy. She had some very clutch moments. The difference was on a couple of points that could’ve turned the match around.

“I was hanging in there the best I could in a lot of games of holding serve but it came down to who can find the break and little edge. She was able to find it earlier than I did.”

Gauff got off to a quick 3-0 start against Bencic, who reached No. 4 in 2020 and has 10 titles to Coco’s 11 (two Slams).

Bencic battled back to 2-3 but Gauff broke again to take control of the opening set. However, Gauff dropped the second set 1-6 partially due to Bencic’s dynamic, radar-aimed groundstrokes.

“The second set just got away from me really fast,’’ Gauff said. “At 1-5 I said, ‘OK, another third set’. … My goal today was if I get the lead in the second set to keep it, but I never did. The third came down to who could be most physical, especially in a high-level match. I felt pretty confident on my end that I could outlast her physically.”

Gauff regained her intensity in the third but needed a vicious backhand down the line for a service break for 3-3. Then again at 4-3, Gauff won a thrilling rally that she was mostly on the defense until striking a winner that caused Hard Rock to explode. Gauff  waved her long arms as if she was about to fly while going up 5-3.

Match point was also a crowd-pleaser as Gauff won it with a delicate drop shot, that Bencic barely got to only to leave the court open for Gauff to punch it back.

“Yesterday I told myself I wasn’t going to hit a drop shot on any pressure points,’’ Gauff giggled. “I’m just happy I did it good. Also, I stopped practicing them to be honest. I didn’t want to go for that on important points. Sometimes you play tennis without thinking and you play best that way.”

Gauff is 5-0 against Muchova, all on hard courts. Their last meeting was in the Australian Open round of 16 with the 22-year-old winning 6-3 in the third.

“She’s tough every time,’’ Gauff said. “I don’t look at head-to-heads when I play her because all the matches I felt could go either way outside of Cincinnati and China. The Australian Open I was able to gut that one out but every time I play her I expect a tough match and expect her to bring her high level every match. We know each other so it’s about who can execute it better. … It’s who can outthink the other in the 30-all, deuce games.”

While the men’s draw only has No. 2 Jannik Sinner and No. 3 Alexander Zverev of the top 10 seeds left in the final eight, the woman still have four of their top five seeds combating for the prestigious Miami Open title.

However, Americans Tommy Paul and the charismatic Frances Tiafoe, both from Boca Raton, will play their respective quarterfinals on Thursday. No. 2  Sinner awaits Tiafoe, while flashy Frenchman Arthur Fils takes on Paul.

On Wednesday, No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka will continue her quest for the Sunshine Double (Indian Wells and Miami) and consecutive Miami titles against unseeded American Hailey Baptiste of Washington, D.C. and Delray Beach in the evening quarterfinal.

The stars will be out early as the 1 p.m. quarterfinal on Stadium Court pits No. 2 (third seed) Elena Rybakina against fifth-seeded American Jessica Pegula, a finalist last year.

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About the Miami Open presented by Itaú

The 2026 Miami Open presented by Itaú will be played March 15 – March 29 at Hard Rock Stadium. The 15-day event is owned and operated by MARI and Hard Rock Stadium. The Miami Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a WTA 1000 event on the WTA calendar, and annually hosts the world’s best players, with recent champions including the top players in each tour’s rankings – Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek. In 2025, the tournament attracted more than 400,000 spectators over its 15 days at Hard Rock Stadium. Widely regarded as the most glamorous stop on the ATP and WTA calendars, the Miami Open is defined by the city’s vibrant culture, nightlife, five-star dining and hospitality, iconic beaches, and celebrity appeal, along with its close proximity to Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach.

About Itaú Unibanco

The largest bank in Latin America, Itaú Unibanco operates in 18 countries and serves more than 70 million customers, including individuals and companies across a wide range of segments. With the purpose of strengthening financial well-being, the bank supports customers at different stages of life by offering solutions tailored to their needs, as well as innovation and information that encourage more conscious decision-making and a healthier relationship with money.

In sports, Itaú has maintained a consistent presence in tennis for 50 years, supporting the development of the sport in Brazil and worldwide across multiple fronts — from talent development to the sponsorship of major international events — as part of its strategy to strengthen customer relationships, build brand relevance, and broaden access to sport.

About MARI 

MARI is a global events and experiences company with a portfolio of some of the world’s most influential live properties across sport, art, lifestyle, and entertainment. From international tennis tournaments such as the Mutua Madrid Open and the Miami Open presented by Itaú to Frieze, a leading voice in contemporary art, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, TodayTix Group’s leadership in digital ticketing, and Barrett-Jackson’s leading collector car auctions, MARI’s portfolio reflects a shared ambition: to deliver live experiences that bring people together, inspire audiences and shape culture worldwide.

About Hard Rock Stadium

Hard Rock Stadium is a global entertainment destination and curator of world-class events. The best-in-class venue is home to the Miami Dolphins, University of Miami Hurricanes football team, the Capital One Orange Bowl, Formula 1® Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, Miami Open presented by Itaú, major concerts, the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship Game and FIFA World Cup 2026™. Due to its overall sustainability efforts, the multifunctional venue holds Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification and FIA Three-Star Environmental Accreditation rating. For more information, visit hardrockstadium.com.