Gauff has fared effectively on clay to this point this 12 months, reaching back-to-back finals in Madrid and Rome the place she missed out on the titles to Aryna Sabalenka and Jasmine Paolini respectively.
A nervy begin noticed Gauff and Keys commerce early breaks however Keys settled shortly as her rival continued to flounder, opening up a 4-1 lead.
To Gauff’s credit score, she fought her method again into proceedings and held set level, however Australian Open champion Keys got here by within the tie-break.
Unforced errors began to creep into Keys’ sport throughout the second set and she or he shortly discovered herself on the backfoot at a double break down.
However simply as Gauff had within the first set, Keys cancelled out the benefit, just for her opponent to degree the match with one other break and a maintain.
Gauff had conceded 9 double faults throughout the opening two units nevertheless it was Keys who completed the match with 60 unforced errors off her racquet, in comparison with Gauff’s 41.
That in the end proved to be the distinction as Gauff, having lastly discovered her serve, raced by the deciding set.
It’s the third time Gauff has crushed Keys in six conferences and marked the primary time she has crushed the 30-year-old on clay.
Gauff has misplaced to the eventual winner on every of her final 4 appearances on the French Open and if she will get by the semi-finals will face both defending champion Iga Swiatek or world primary Aryna Sabalenka within the closing.
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