Gauff sweeps aside Gracheva to move into the semi-finals in Auckland

The start of the match was delayed due to rain, but once play began, Gauff swiftly defeated her French opponent in just 53 minutes. Throughout her title defense, the 19-year-old has not lost a single set and did not face any break points on Friday.

Gauff dominated the opening set and took a commanding 4-0 lead in the second set before Gracheva managed to hold her serve.

With dark clouds looming once again, Gauff wasted no time in securing her victory, setting up an all-American semi-final against Emma Navarro.

Reflecting on her performance, Gauff expressed her focus on playing her own game and highlighted her strong serving, which she has been working on during the off-season.

She was pleased with her overall performance and relieved to finish the match before the rain could interrupt again.

Meanwhile, at the Brisbane International, another warm-up tournament for the Australian Open, Victoria Azarenka defeated Jelena Ostapenko in a hard-fought match to secure a spot in the semi-finals.

Azarenka acknowledged Ostapenko's talent and resilience, emphasizing her ability to defeat any opponent on any given day.

In the men's section, Rafa Nadal, returning from a lengthy injury layoff, is set to face Australian Jordan Thompson later in the day for a chance to advance to the semi-finals.