Coco Gauff has advanced to her first career Grand Slam semifinal after defeating fellow American Sloane Stephens 7-5, 6-2 at the French Open on Tuesday.

First Grand Slam SF coming 🆙

The No.18 seed prevails over 2018 finalist Sloane Stephens 7-5, 6-2.#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/l9bDk1SI5P

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2022

But the 18-year-old Gauff said graduating high school was her bigger accomplishment this month.

“Was graduating tougher? Yes, because I know how hard it was to do school and play tennis on the road,” she said after the match. “Other players in general get out of sight with life and we think tennis is the most important thing in the world. It is not.

“So getting my high-school diploma meant a lot to me.”

Tuesday’s quarterfinal at Roland Garros was not the first time that Gauff and Stephens have faced off at such a high level. In a U.S. Open quarterfinal showdown last year, Stephens was the one who came out on top.

“I feel so happy right now that words can’t explain,” Gauff added. “Last year’s quarterfinal was a tough loss and it made me stronger and better prepared for moments like today.

“Last time I played (Stephens) I lost so I’m glad today it went different. I told myself to stay mentally there, and that I know there would be shots that I should probably have made.”

Gauff is the first American semifinalist at the French Open since Sofia Kenin made the final in 2020. Kenin lost to Iga Swiatek, the No. 1 seed at this year’s tournament.

Since 2016, when Serena Williams last made the final, American players have had some success in the late rounds at the French Open. Stephens reached the final in 2018, and Amanda Anisimova made the semifinals in 2019.

This year, two Americans could find themselves in the semifinals. Jessica Pegula will play in her first French Open quarterfinal Wednesday and could join Gauff. She faces a tough test, however, in world No. 1 Swiatek, who hasn’t lost in 32 matches.

Gauff already has secured her spot, and she could make it 2-for-2 on the year for Americans in Grand Slam finals after Danielle Collins made the final at the Australian Open. Collins lost the championship match to Ash Barty.

The last American to win the French Open remains Williams, who won the tournament in 2015. Sofia Kenin was the last American to win a Grand Slam, winning the Australian Open in 2020.

In the semifinals, Gauff will face off against fellow first-time semifinalist Martina Trevisan, who took out Leylah Fernandez in three sets in the quarterfinals.

Never forget 🧡

How @MartinaTrevisa3 made her maiden Grand Slam semi-final at #RolandGarros 👇 pic.twitter.com/eEpMvxsMYz

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 31, 2022

Trevisan, 28, spent four years away from the game to battle an eating disorder. So to reach the semifinals represented not just a professional but a personal triumph.

“I’m happy on the court,” she said. “I’m doing what I love. So my past is the past, and it helped me to be in the present, to be what I am right now.”

Two key upsets headlined Thursday's WNBA bill, sending the Phoenix Mercury soaring into third place in the league standings while the No. 6 Golden State Valkyries continued to outwit opponents.

The red-hot Mercury snagged their fourth straight win by taking down the No. 2 New York Liberty 89-81 on Thursday night, overcoming an 35-point performance from two-time MVP Breanna Stewart with five double-digit Phoenix scorers.

Meanwhile out West, the Valkyries stifled a surging No. 7 Fever, downing Indiana 88-77 in part by holding star guard Caitlin Clark to just 3-for-14 from the field — and 0-for-7 from behind the arc.

"We were being disruptive, we know that she doesn't like physicality, we know that she wants to get to that left step-back," Golden State head coach Natalie Nakase said about the Valkyries' strategy to effectively contain Clark.

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Though the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx and 2024 WNBA champions New York still hold court atop the table, Thursday's actions proves that other squads are making some unexpected in-roads.

Putting together an impressive road record are the Mercury, who will ride a 4-2 away record into their Saturday matchup against the No. 11 Chicago Sky — the last stop on a four-game road trip that's been perfect for Phoenix thus far.

Already flipping the script on expectations is Golden State, with the 2025 expansion team rising despite relying on a hodgepodge roster as several players compete at EuroBasket 2025. The Valkyries will aim to keep their winning momentum in their Sunday clash with the No. 12 Connecticut Sun.

How to watch the Mercury, Valkyries this weekend

Both of Thursday's victors will be back in action this weekend, with Phoenix facing Chicago at 1 PM ET on Saturday, airing live on ABC.

Then on Sunday, Golden State will host Connecticut at 8:30 PM ET, with live coverage on WNBA League Pass.

In another weekend full of WNBA action, all eyes are on Las Vegas, as the No. 8 Aces will try to curb a two-game losing streak against two formidable opponents.

A successful weekend for Las Vegas could hinge on three-time WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's potential return from injury, with the star forward recently upgraded to "questionable" after landing in concussion protocol last week.

Overall, the margin for error has narrowed in the middle of the WNBA pack, as talented teams continue to translate quality performances into consistency.

• No. 5 Seattle Storm vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Friday at 10 PM ET (ION): The Aces will try to end their free fall in Friday's head-to-head battle with a Seattle side that can beat anybody at their best.

• No. 7 Indiana Fever vs. No. 8 Las Vegas Aces, Sunday at 3 PM ET (ESPN): Las Vegas next faces a Fever team still smarting from Thursday's away loss to the Golden State Valkyries, with both teams narrowly clinging to positions above the playoff line.

• No. 2 New York Liberty vs. No. 5 Seattle Storm, Sunday at 7 PM ET (WNBA League Pass): The Liberty have a comfortable hold on second place, but with two losses in their last three games, New York is flirting with danger entering their Sunday game with Seattle — particularly if star big Jonquel Jones is out after suffering a knock to the ankle on Thursday.

Ultimately, there's no rest for the weary in the WNBA, as a series of difficult matchups can see a single error quickly slide into a losing streak.

The final NWSL weekend heading into the league's six-week summer break has arrived, giving teams one more chance to prove themselves before regular-season play pauses to make way for major international tournaments.

With a five-point gap separating No. 1 Kansas City from No. 2 Orlando in the NWSL standings, the Current will enter the break as the 2025 Shield frontrunners regardless of this weekend's results.

Despite Kansas City's grip atop the table, there's still plenty of room for movement both above and below the postseason cutoff line, as clubs across the NWSL look to wrap their midseason finales on a high note:

• No. 1 Kansas City Current vs. No. 10 Angel City FC, Friday at 8 PM ET (Prime): Angel City has a shot at launching themselves above the cutoff line on Friday, but they'll have to snap the Current's five-game winning streak to make it happen.

• No. 8 Gotham FC vs. No. 9 Bay FC, Saturday at 7:30 PM ET (ION): Gotham and Bay FC enter the weekend tied on points while staring at each other from on opposite sides of the playoff line — meaning a Saturday win for either club could set the tone for the rest of the 2025 season.

• No. 3 San Diego Wave FC vs. No. 4 Washington Spirit, Sunday at 10 PM ET (CBS Sports): The weekend's only top-table clash could see San Diego sprint back into second place — unless Washington leapfrogs the upstart Wave to claim the third-place spot.

The LPGA Tour has turned its attention to Texas, with the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship — the third major of the pro golf season — teeing off in Frisco to a flurry of first-round action on Thursday.

All of the sport's Top 100 athletes are participating in this week's event, including No. 1 Nelly Korda, who sits in a 14th-place tie with an even-par first-round performance, and surging US dark horse No. 50 Lexi Thompson, who tied for 10th in her Thursday return from a brief retirement.

However, leading the pack heading into Friday's second round is Thailand's world No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul, who finished the first day of competition atop the leaderboard with a score of 4-under-par.

Australia's No. 24 Minjee Lee also posted a strong start, capping Thursday at 3-under to sit in second place.

While the sport's best chase victory on the links, the 2025 KPMG Women's PGA Championship is already making history off the green.

Not only is it the first-ever women's major to tee off at Frisco's Fields Ranch East, the tournament also increased its purse to $12 million on Tuesday — nearly tripling the $4.5 million prize pool from just four years ago and tying the US Women's Open for the LPGA Tour's highest payout in the process.

How to watch the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship

The third LPGA Grand Slam of 2025 continues through Sunday.

Friday's second round will air live on the Golf Channel, while coverage of Saturday and Sunday's final rounds will air across NBC and Peacock.