MIAMI — Coco Gauff defeated Belinda Bencic 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 in two hours and 15 minutes to reach the Miami Open semi-finals for the first time. The fourth-ranked player will face Karolina Muchova in the semi-finals.

Gauff became the youngest American to reach the women's singles semi-finals at the Miami Open since Serena Williams in 2004. Gauff was born in 2004.

"My coach has been reminding me – remember who you are, you're a good player," Gauff said. Gauff admitted she still battles with imposter syndrome.

"But tennis doesn't lie, the ball doesn't lie, so I just have to believe myself," Gauff said.

Gauff has won three WTA 1000 titles. Her previous Miami Open best results were last-16 exits in 2022, 2024 and 2025.

If Gauff reaches the final, she will overtake Iga Swiatek to move to third in the WTA rankings next week.

Muchova, 29, defeated Victoria Mboko 7-5, 7-6(7-5) to reach her first Miami Open semi-final. The Czech player has reached five WTA 1000 semi-finals in her career.

Muchova said the match against Mboko could have gone either way.