Karolína Muchová snapped a six-match losing streak against Coco Gauff on Friday, dispatching the world No. 3 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the Stuttgart Open quarterfinals.
The win sends Muchová to her fourth semifinals this season. She'll now meet No. 4 seed Elina Svitolina, after the Ukrainian outlasted Linda Noskova 7-6 (2), 7-5 in Friday's other quarterfinal.
Muchová and Gauff had never competed on clay before Friday's matchup, with Muchová grabbing an early edge by breaking serve for a 2-1 advantage in the opener. Gauff struggled with forehand errors throughout the first set, misfiring 13 times before a late service break sealed the set for Muchová.
Both players elevated their games in the second set. Four straight service breaks created drama before Gauff claimed a crucial hold at 5-5, later breaking the Czech player's serve in the next game to even the match.
However, the third set belonged to Muchová. She broke Gauff's serve to surge ahead 4-2, with Gauff failing to convert three break-back chances in the following game. Muchová then held firm to close out the biggest win of her head-to-head history with the US star.
Gauff has never reached a Stuttgart Open semifinals, while Muchová now continues her strong 2026 campaign.
The Muchová-Svitolina semifinal now takes center stage. Svitolina leads the pair's all-time series 3-0, though they've never met on clay.
What's Next for Coco Gauff After Her 2026 Stuttgart Open Exit
Coco Gauff will likely shift her focus to the 2026 Madrid Open, with the annual WTA 1000 event kicking off on April 21st.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka is set to defend her title in Spain, after defeating Gauff in the 2025 Madrid Open final.
