Gauff brushes off protests and Muchova to reach US Open final

American teenager Coco Gauff shrugged off a 49-minute stoppage caused by climate protesters to power into the US Open final on Thursday with a straight sets defeat of Karolina Muchova.

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The 19-year-old from Florida advanced to her first final at Flushing Meadows after winning 6-4, 7-5 in a semifinal that took nearly three hours to complete due to disruption by protesters.

Gauff will face either second seed Aryna Sabalenka or compatriot Madison Keys in Saturday's final, who play later on Thursday.

Gauff later admitted the long delay had been "challenging" but said she had sympathy with the activists and their cause.

"I definitely, I believe, you know, in climate change," Gauff said. "I think there are things we can do better.

"I know the tournaments are doing things to do better for the environment. Would I prefer it not happening in my match? 100 per cent, yeah. I'm not gonna sit here and lie.

"I think that moments like this are history-defining moments. I prefer it not to happen in my match but I wasn't pissed at the protesters. I know the stadium was because it just interrupted entertainment.

"Obviously I don't want it to happen when I'm winning up 6-4, 1-0, and I wanted the momentum to keep going. But hey, if that's what they felt they needed to do to get their voices heard, I can't really get upset at it."

Muchova meanwhile suggested little could be done to stop protests in future.

"I mean, it happened at Wimbledon, as well. We see it here and there on some occasions," she said. "It is what it is. I mean, it's obviously changed the rhythm a little bit. What can we do about it? People."

American youngster Gauff will be targeting her first Grand Slam title after battling to victory on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court.

Gauff, who is now the youngest American woman to reach the US Open final since her idol Serena Williams in 1999, had looked to be cruising towards victory in the first set.

The teenager broke Muchova twice early on to race into a 5-1 lead.

But her Czech opponent regained her composure and turned the tables as the fluency returned to her powerful groundstrokes.

Muchova fought back to break, cutting Gauff's lead to 5-4 after the teenager had twice served for the set.

However Muchova then faltered and Gauff broke back to clinch the first set when her rival hammered a backhand return into the net.

The second set was only one game old when environmental activists disrupted play, chanting "End fossil fuels". One of the protesters glued themselves to the floor of the stands, forcing a 49-minute stoppage.

When the players returned, a tense second set unfolded.

Muchova held off a match point in the 10th game to level at 5-5 before Gauff held for a 6-5 lead.

Muchova then saved four more match points on her serve before finally succumbing on the sixth match point, hammering a backhand return long to leave Gauff victorious.

Muchova said she had felt off her game from the opening point.

"Today I was not feeling it from the start until the end," she said. "I'm pretty sad about the outcome, that I didn't put the best out of me on the court."

SABALENKA FENDS OFF KEYS TO REACH US OPEN FINAL

Aryna Sabalenka fought back from the brink of defeat to overcome American 17th seed Madison Keys in a third-set tie-break and line up a US Open final against home favourite Coco Gauff.

Keys served for the match in the second set but incoming world No 1 Sabalenka overhauled the 2017 runner-up to win 0-6, 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (10/5) to reach her second Grand Slam final.

"She played incredible tennis, it was just another level. Somehow, I don't know how I turned around this match," said Sabalenka, the second seed.

"It really means a lot to be in the final of the US Open for the first time."

Sabalenka rode an emotional rollercoaster, angrily remonstrating with her coaching team at times, before being able to sheepishly laugh off celebrating prematurely in the decisive tie-break.

"I thought that we play tie-break up to till seven," she said. "I was just all over the place."

The Australian Open champion will bid for her second Grand Slam title on Saturday against the 19-year-old Gauff. The American holds a 3-2 edge but this will be their first meeting at a major.

"She's an unbelievable player," said Sabalenka. "The crowd will be supporting her a lot. I will do everything I can. I'll be fighting for every point and I will do my best."

Sabalenka handed Keys a break in the first game with a double fault and her troubles were compounded when she again dropped serve after leading 40-0 two games later.

Keys shook off two break chances before a wayward Sabalenka faltered on serve for a third time, allowing her opponent to wrap up the set with ease.

Sabalenka sarcastially raised her arms in celebration as she held to finally get on the board to start the second set.

Keys continued to pump winners with her powerful forehand and broke again for a 2-1 lead, Sabalenka drawing a code violation after smacking a courtside barrier and hurling her racquet towards her coach.

The Belarusian briefly got back on serve before Keys struck once more, further infuriating an irate Sabalenka who had stormed into the semifinals without losing a single set.

Sabalenka broke Keys to love to stay in the tournament, winning 12 points in a row to move 6-5 ahead, but she couldn't convert two set points as the American steadied herself to force a tie-break.

However Sabalenka won that easily to send the match to a deciding set, before which Keys took a medical timeout to receive treatment to her upper left leg.

Keys withstood an early break point and the first five games went on serve before a loose game from Sabalenka handed Keys the initiative at 4-2.

Sabalenka dug deep and overpowered Keys to retrieve the break straight away, surviving two more break points to level at 4-4.

The Belarusian took charge in the tie-break, leading from the front before securing a second win over Keys in as many Grand Slams.