Sports

BANGKOK — Ice skating’s governing body voted on Tuesday to raise the minimum age for senior competition to 17, months after an Olympics drug scandal involving teenage Russian Kamila Valieva.

The decision by the International Skating Union (ISU) congress in Phuket, Thailand lifts the age limit from 15 and will be phased in gradually, reaching age 17 in the 2024/25 season.

“It’s a very historic decision,” ISU President Jan Dijkema said, after 100 countries voted to support the measure, with only 16 opposed.

Figure skater Valieva, then 15, was allowed to compete at February’s Beijing Winter Olympics despite failing a drugs test beforehand, but broke down after falling multiple times during her final performance.

With the global spotlight on her and favourite for gold, she finished outside the medals. Questions swirled about the influence of her entourage following a tense and tearful post-routine encounter with her coach.

The ISU said that raising the age limit was on its agenda well before the Valieva case and acknowledged it had a duty of care to elite adolescent athletes.

Ahead of the vote, director general Fredi Schmid said the ISU had faced media pressure and a “major attack” in the wake of the Olympics and reminded delegates the global body’s reputation was at stake. 

“The moment of truth is obviously today because the credibility of the ISU will also be scrutinised. The media and the public will watch us very closely so don’t forget this,” he warned.

Katarina Witt, who was 18 when she won her first ladies singles Olympic gold at the 1984 Sarajevo games for East Germany, welcomed the rule change.

“Congratulations on this historic decision,” the two-time Olympic champion told AFP subsidiary SID on Tuesday.

“By raising the minimum age to 17, the ISU is taking the right, contemporary path and is primarily protecting the female athletes from their sometimes over-ambitious managers.

“They will be forced to deal much more prudently with young athletes’ careers,” the 56-year-old added. 

However, top names in Russian figure skating played down the decision, which will be in place for the Winter Olympics in 2026.

Former Russia coach turned media personality Tatiana Tarassova told the TASS agency: “We will win anyway.”

Former skating star Alexander Zhulin, now a coach, told TASS: “The decision is mainly directed against us.

“It is obvious to everyone that at 15-16 years old our girls cannot be beaten. Everyone is against us now so this decision was not surprising.” 

Russian teenagers Anna Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova won gold and silver in Beijing. Valieva was fourth.

The ISU’s medical advice backed raising the minimum age to 17 arguing it would benefit young skaters physically and mentally, and help extend their careers.

“I feel as administrators of the sport of skating it is your moral obligation and duty to provide these young skaters with the opportunity and time to develop... the skills they require in order to be successful at the senior level,” Dr Jane Moran from the body’s medical commission said.

“They have the right to develop themselves as people during their adolescent age... They don’t need us to be forcing them to compete.”

A medical report said the change would allow junior athletes time to reach skeletal maturity.

It also warned that some elite adolescent athletes could experience a puberty delay for an average of two years as a result of the physical demands of training.

It noted some were at greater risk of developing eating disorders.

The athletes’ commission surveyed close to 1,000 athletes and coaches, and 86 per cent were in favour of lifting the age limit.

Some representatives from smaller countries argued the changes would have a negative impact on their talent pool of skaters and ability to send athletes to elite competitions.

But other smaller skating nations such as Iceland and Ireland argued the focus should be on protecting youngsters.

“We have to remember they are children first and athletes second,” Ireland’s representative in Phuket said.

An amendment to raise the minimum age to 16 and then wait until after the 2026 Olympics in Milan-Cortina to revisit the issue was rejected.

AMMAN — The national football team plays 168th ranked Nepal in its first qualifier for the 2023 Asian Cup kicking off in Kuwait on Wednesday.

Jordan is in a relatively easy Group A, and the team should ideally have no trouble making it through the qualifiers. However, the squad’s latest performances have not been very convincing. Currently ranked 91st in FIFA’s latest rankings, Jordan kicks off its Group A qualifiers playing Nepal, before facing 159th ranked Indonesia on June 11 and 146th ranked hosts Kuwait on June 14. The top team in addition to the top five second- placed teams will move on to the finals which will be held in 2023. 

The Kingdom’s head coach Adnan Hamad underlined in Tuesday’s press conference that “the target aim was to return the squad to competitive form and be among the continent’s best teams”. 

Hamad, who took over after the dismissal of Belgian Vital Borkelmans following the early exit from the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers needs to guide Jordan through the stage of qualifying to get to the 2023 Asian Cup. Jordan has reached the tournament four times since first taking part in qualifiers in 1972: the highlight was at the 13th Asian Cup in 2004, when it lost to Japan in the quarter-finals and jumped to the best ever FIFA Ranking of 37th. Jordan also reached the Asian Cup in 2011 and 2015 and 2019.

On the world scene, the team was on the verge of qualifying to the 2014 World Cup for the first time and advanced to play then World’s 6th ranked Uruguay in an intercontinental qualifying tie. The World Cup qualifying Round 3 was the furthest Jordan reached in the past seven times since taking part in the 1986 qualifiers.

On the other hand, Jordan’s younger squad, playing in Group B at the 5th Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U23 Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, lost to Australia 1-0 on Tuesday afternoon and failed to qualify to Round 2 as Iraq beat Kuwait 3-1.

In earlier matches, Jordan beat Kuwait 1-0 after tying Iraq 1-1 .  Australia beat Kuwait 2-0 and tied Iraq 1-1. 

It was the 5th time for Jordan in the AFC U23 Championship. In 2014 they finished third, in 2016 they reached the quarter-finals, in 2018 they were knocked out of Round 1, and in 2020 they reached the quarter-finals.

On the regional scene, Jordan won the title of the 2021 West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) U23 Championship in which they beat hosts Saudi Arabia in the final. In 2015, Jordan was eliminated in the group stages of the first edition of the WAFF U23 Championship won by Iran, before they moved to the Central Asian Football Association.

BERLIN — Germany’s coach Hansi Flick said on Monday that his team would need to improve against England’s ‘extraordinary players’ in a Nations League clash in Munich on Tuesday.

Flick praised the English Premier League at his pre-match press conference saying “the quality is very high”. 

“They have six or seven clubs of almost equal level,” said Flick, a former Bayern Munich coach.

Flick said German players who move to the Premier League “take a step up”.

Flick’s squad contains four players who played for English clubs last season, including three under German coach Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea.

Flick singled out Kai Havertz “who grew up under the influence of Thomas Tuchel.” 

Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who scored twice on the final day of the Premier League season to seal the title for Manchester City, praised England’s strength in depth.

“They could form three national teams,” he said. 

Flick said he was disappointed with a 1-1 draw with Italy in Bologna on Saturday, on the same evening that England lost their goup opener 1-0 in Hungary.

“It is obvious that we must do better” against England, said Flick.

“They have extraordinary players and their game is very physical. [Harry] Kane is a world-class striker, he has a huge quality,” Flick said.

“It will be a big game for us and it will be important to implement our plan well,” said Flick, still undefeated after ten games as Germany coach.

Gundogan, who has been at City since 2016, insisted the historic rivalry between England and Germany was “no longer an issue.” 

“The respect is there, and in the end it is about sport,” he said. 

“We have had several German players who succeeded in England, and it has become very friendly, even if sometimes we banter a little”. 

Germany benchmark

Southgate said Germany remain the benchmark for England as a result of their trophy-winning pedigree as he prepared his side for Tuesday’s Nations League clash in Munich.

England will look to bounce back from their surprise Nations League defeat to Hungary when they face the four-time World Cup winners in Munich.

Southgate’s men beat their old rivals in the last 16 of Euro 2020 last year and will be hoping to repeat the feat on Tuesday.

But Germany have won every match under new boss Hansi Flick, who took over from Joachim Loew after the European Championship.

The England boss told his pre-match press conference on Monday that the game would be a “brilliant test” for his side, who lost in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and were beaten by Italy on penalties in the Euro 2020 final.

“For me, Germany and Brazil are still the benchmark in terms of countries who’ve regularly, consistently won tournaments,” Southgate said.

“Even when everyone will talk about the 5-1 [England win in 2001] here, they ended up in the World Cup final on the back of that qualifying campaign.

“So you have to respect what they’ve been as a country and what they are as a country in footballing terms, and that mentality is what we’re trying to create. 

“We’ve got to keep getting to the latter stages of competitions and games like tomorrow are brilliant for us — that’s exactly the sort of test we need.”

Southgate hailed the decision of both teams to take the knee before the match as a statement against racism.

England players were barracked by some sections of the crowd when they made the gesture before Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Hungary in Budapest.

Southgate said: “We’re two nations with huge numbers of mixed-heritage nationals and I think it’s an important sign for everybody, so we welcome that... We are united in our beliefs.”

MONTMELÓ, Spain — France’s world champion Fabio Quartararo extended his lead in this season’s title race after winning the Catalonia MotoGP on Sunday helped by an astonishing error by his closest pursuer Aleix Espargaro.

The Frenchman’s joy contrasted starkly to Aprilia rider Espargaro, who had a nightmare of a race from start to finish.

Having started on pole he was passed by Quartararo on the first bend — a lead the 23-year-old Frenchman would never relinquish — and then as the race reached its climax he raised his arms thinking he had finished second only to realise there was a still a lap to go.

“The only thing I can say is ‘sorry’ to my team,” said a contrite Espargaro.

“It is an inadmissible error at this level of competition.

“It is totally my fault. I completely forgot that here the last lap is listed as zero not one hence I took my foot off the gas in the finishing straight.

“If I am to beat Fabio in the title race I cannot make such errors.” 

His misfortune allowed compatriot Jorge Martin to take second with his Ducati Primac teammate Frenchman Johann Zarco taking third.

Quartararo increased his lead from eight points to 22 after nine rounds of the championship.

Little wonder he bore a broad grin on his face as he climbed off his Yamaha — who he committed to for an extra two years on Thursday.

“I am so pleased, this was an incredible race,” said Quartararo.

“I pushed hard from the start and kept it up to the finish.

“With this win and my second place in Mugello last Sunday these are two great results as I feared the worst beforehand.

“Life is good, we have worked hard.”

Martin was delighted with his second spot after a largely disappointing season.

“It has been a tough season so I am delighted with this podium finish,” said Martin.

“I thought I would find it hard to finish with one of my tyre’s giving me trouble so I just conserved my energy.

“Then I saw Aleix slowing and I thought he had a mechanical problem but then realised he had made a mistake.

“That was an unexpected bonus.”

‘Put my foot down’

Zarco too reflected on his good fortune, though, timely as it is expected he is set to extend his contract with Ducati-Primac.

“That was a bit lucky with what happened at the end of the race,” said Zarco.

“I did not expect that! I was very tired as the race came to a close. I saw him [Espargaro] raise his arms and there was little doubt in my mind maybe the race is over.

“However, I saw Martin was still racing at full speed so I put my foot down.” 

Even better for Quartararo was neither of his Italian rivals who loom large in the championship standings finished.

Francesco Bagnaia — who won the Italian MotoGP last weekend — slipped to fourth in the standings behind Zarco following his first bend exit.

Bagnaia’s Ducati came crashing to the ground after Japanese rider Takaaki Nakagami fell and his helmet connected with the Italian’s bike.

Bagnaia slid across the track and took out Alex Rins on his Suzuki — fortunately all three were reported to be ok.

Bagnaia’s compatriot Enea Bastianini also finished his day early coming off with 17 laps to go on his Ducati-Gresini, the Italian hitting his knees in frustration.

He remains third in the standings on 94 points.

PARIS — Iga Swiatek cruised to her second French Open title by dominating teenager Coco Gauff in the final on Saturday, as the World No. 1 claimed her 35th successive victory.

The 21-year-old Polish star stormed to a 6-1, 6-3 win in only 68 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier, equalling Venus Williams' record for the longest winning run by a woman in the 21st century.

Swiatek celebrated her sixth straight title this year in the players' box with her friends and family.

"I told Coco 'Don't cry' and that's what I am doing. Congrats to Coco," said an emotional Swiatek.

"You are doing an amazing job. At your age, I was on my first year on tour and I did not know what I was doing. You will find it, I am sure of that."

A disconsolate Gauff was left sitting on her seat in tears after a nervous performance, punctuated by 23 unforced errors and three double faults.

The 18-year-old American came up short in her bid to become the youngest Grand Slam singles champion since Maria Sharapova won Wimbledon in 2004.

"I want to congratulate Iga, what you've done on tour in these past couple of months has been amazing," said Gauff, as the tears flowed again when she thanked her team.

"I hope we can play in more finals and maybe I can win one... I want to thank my team, I'm sorry I couldn't get this one today."

Swiatek, only the 10th woman to win multiple French Opens in the Open era, lost just one set in the tournament — against China's Zheng Qinwen in the fourth round.

She has now won all three of her career meetings with Gauff, who was playing in her first major final.

Gauff will now turn her attentions to Sunday's doubles final, where she will face home favourites Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic alongside compatriot Jessica Pegula.

Swiatek improved her remarkable record in finals, having won her last nine on the WTA Tour.

Swiatek expressed her support for Ukraine during the trophy presentation, despite saying before the final that she does not feel ready to speak about off-court issues.

"I want to say to Ukraine, 'Stay strong'. The war is still there," she said, to cheers from the stands.

Nervous Gauff 

Gauff looked nervous in the opening exchanges and a flurry of unforced errors handed Swiatek a break in the very first game.

The 18th seed found herself 3-0 and a double break down just 16 minutes into the match, as Swiatek's powerful backhand helped her win a lengthy third game on her fifth break point.

Gauff finally got on the board with a scrappy hold to the delight of the crowd, but she had dropped a set for the first time in the tournament just minutes later.

Swiatek was not playing her best, but a cross-court backhand winner brought up two set points and she took the second opportunity when Gauff fired wide.

The Pole gifted her opponent a potential route back into the match, making four unforced errors to throw away her serve in the first game of the second set.

Swiatek recomposed herself though as the mistakes continued to come from Gauff, breaking back to level at 2-2.

She made it five straight games to move within one of the title, losing only five points in the process.

Gauff dug deep to force Swiatek to serve for the trophy.

But the top seed did just that on her first match point, dropping to the red clay in celebration as Gauff sent a return flying long.

PARIS — Rafael Nadal looks to celebrate his 36th birthday on Friday by reaching a 14th French Open final which by his own admission could be the last of his record-breaking career.

Nadal, the 13-time champion, faces Germany’s Alexander Zverev but is clear his chronic, long-term foot injury has put him on borrowed time.

“The last three months and a half for me, the only thing that I can say is haven’t been easy,” said the Spaniard after his epic four-set win over old rival Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals.

“But I have to keep going.”

Nadal, chasing a record-extending 22nd Grand Slam title to move two in front of Djokovic and Roger Federer, is working constantly to find a cure for the foot issue.

“If we are not able to find an improvement or a small solution, then it’s becoming super difficult for me.”

“I am just enjoying every day that I have the chance to be here, and without thinking much about what can happen in the future.”

Find solution

“I’m going to keep fighting to find a solution, but for the moment, we haven’t.”

Nadal’s win over defending champion and World No. 1 Djokovic was the 110th of his 17-year Roland Garros career.

He has had to dig deep into his resources to reach his 15th semifinal in the French capital

It took him four hours and 21 minutes to defeat Felix Auger-Aliassime in the fourth round in a tie which saw him stretched to five sets for only the third time at the tournament.

Against Djokovic, he needed four hours and 12 minutes, saving two set points in the fourth set to avoid another five-setter.

Djokovic is the man responsible for two of Nadal’s three losses at the French Open.

With his career-long rival out of the way, and World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev and fourth-ranked 2021 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas eliminated, Nadal remains favourite to lift the trophy on Sunday.

Against Zverev, he boasts a 6-3 winning record, capturing four of the pair’s five clay court meetings.

Zverev, 11 years younger than Nadal, is still searching for a maiden Slam title. He is into a second successive French Open semifinal.

‘Supposed to win’

He defeated teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals but had to save a match point in a five-set win over Argentina’s Sebastian Baez in the second round.

He has also never defeated Nadal or Djokovic at the majors.

“I’m not 20 or 21 years old anymore; I’m 25. I am at the stage where I want to win, I’m at the stage where I’m supposed to win,” admitted the third seed.

In Friday’s other semifinal, Marin Cilic takes on Casper Ruud with both men having made the semifinals at Roland Garros for the first time.

Cilic, 33, and the 2014 US Open champion, is only the fifth active player along with Nadal, Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray to have reached the semifinals of all four Slams.

Cilic, ranked 23 in the world, is in his first semifinal at the majors since 2018 when he was runner-up to Federer at the Australian Open.

Ruud is the first Norwegian man ever to make the last four of a Slam with the eighth-ranked 23-year-old one of the form players on clay.

His testy quarter-final win over 19-year-old Holger Rune was his 65th on clay since the 2020 season. Seven of his eight titles have come on clay.

Ruud has a 2-0 edge over Cilic, including their only meeting on the surface in Rome.

Former World No. 3 Cilic knocked out Medvedev in straight sets in the fourth round, without facing a break point, and seventh-ranked Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals on the back of 33 aces and 88 winners.

Only two of his 20 career titles have come on clay courts, the most recent of which was at Istanbul in 2017.

Despite his surprise run to the last-four, where he is comfortably the lowest seed left, Cilic is content to maintain a low profile.

“I really don’t mind being under the highlights. I’m just trying to use my opportunities as much as I can during my career every day, every match to give my best,” he said.

PARIS — Iga Swiatek powered into the French Open semifinals on Wednesday as a comfortable victory over American Jessica Pegula extended the World No. 1’s winning streak to 33 matches.

The Polish star cruised to a 6-3, 6-2 win on Court Philippe Chatrier to set up a last-four meeting with Daria Kasatkina on Thursday.

Swiatek will equal Venus Williams’ record for the longest unbeaten run for a women’s player in the 21st century if she wins a second Roland Garros title this week.

But she said she still feels nervous before big matches despite appearing in almost unbeatable form.

“I do [feel nervous],” said Swiatek. “If I stop feeling nervous than something weird is going on...

“Sometimes stress is a positive thing as it makes you more tense and more active.”

The top seed, who turned 21 on Tuesday, won her only Grand Slam title so far in Paris two years ago.

She has won five consecutive tournaments this year, including four WTA 1,000 titles.

Despite not being at her best, Swiatek still hit 30 winners in an ultimately one-sided match to make her third Slam semifinal and second in succession.

The 11th seed Pegula has also enjoyed a fine season but is still waiting to reach a maiden major semifinal after also losing in the last eight at the previous two Australian Opens.

Another dominant display from the Pole looked likely when Swiatek broke in the first game and then led 40-0 in the second.

But Pegula reeled off five straight points to break straight back and signal the world’s best player may not have it all her own way.

Swiatek played an excellent return game to move 4-3 in front, before wrapping up the opening set by completing a run of four successive games as Pegula mishit wide.

She saved a break point early in the second set before opening up a 3-1 lead herself with a backhand winner up the line.

Pegula managed to save three match points in the eighth game as she tried to make Swiatek serve the match out, but the former champion sealed victory with another perfectly-placed backhand.

Kasatkina wins all-Russian battle

Earlier on Wednesday, Kasatkina reached her maiden Grand Slam semifinal with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) victory over fellow Russian Veronika Kudermetova.

World No. 20 Kasatkina, playing in her third career quarter-final at the Slams but first since 2018, has made the semis without dropping a set.

Kasatkina said Rafael Nadal’s late-night “fighting spirit” in defeating Novak Djokovic to make the French Open quarter-finals inspired her to secure a maiden Grand Slam semifinal spot.

“Rafa was my idol since I’m a kid. When I was small I was trying to copy his game,” said the 25-year-old. 

“It’s so obvious that he’s the best fighter in the history of sport maybe. You can have the best backhand, forehand, serve, forever, but if you cannot fight, you cannot win. So I think the fighting spirit is the most important.”

Kudermetova was in her first quarter-final at the majors and the tension was apparent as she committed 50 unforced errors and had to save 12 of 17 break points.

“You could see that the match was really nervous and tight, especially the tie-break,” said Kasatkina, a former junior champion in Paris.

Kudermetova, also 25, needed a medical timeout at 5-6 in the second set and battled to save four match points in the tiebreak.

Kasatkina, however, secured victory on her fifth match point courtesy of a sweetly-timed backhand drop shot.

“My box were pretty nervous, especially at the end,” she added. “Thank you guys and keep calm — it’s OK!”

Kasatkina won her first clash with Swiatek on the Eastbourne grass last year, but has lost all three of their meetings in 2022 in straight sets, without winning more than five games in a match.

SAN FRANCISCO — A resurgent Golden State Warriors are bidding to reclaim their throne at basketball’s summit against a Boston Celtics team chasing history when the NBA Finals tip-off on Thursday.

After a gruelling regular season and a roller coaster play-off campaign, Golden State and Boston will open their best-of-seven finals showdown on Thursday in what has all the makings of a classic between two evenly matched teams.

Two years ago, the once-mighty Warriors — the dominant NBA franchise of the past decade — appeared to be facing up to the end of an era.

A league worst 15-50 record left them propping up the foot of the Western Conference, a precipitous fall for a franchise that graced the NBA Finals five times in a row between 2015 and 2019, winning three championships.

But with three pillars of that dynastic run — Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson — back to fitness, and under the shrewd leadership of head coach Steve Kerr, the Warriors are back in their preferred habitat.

The Warriors’ swift return to the finals is a byproduct of a culture that endured throughout the depths of 2020’s miserable 15-win season, or last season’s elimination in the play-in tournament.

“The times when it was rough, we were losing, I think we still had a good group of guys,” said Warriors centre Kevon Looney, a member of the 2017 and 2018 title-winning Warriors teams.

“We were still able to keep that same culture in the locker room, even though we were losing. We still played our style of basketball, still holding guys to a high level and a high standard.”

While relatively recent recruits such as Jordan Poole, Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga have all played key roles in this season’s resurgence, the old guard of Curry, Green and Thompson have led the way in the play-offs.

Curry was named the Western Conference finals MVP, Green has been his usual combative self, while Thompson, who returned this season after a two-year injury absence, has produced bursts of scoring at pivotal moments in series wins over Memphis and Dallas.

“A DNA that you can’t really teach,” was how Curry described the Warriors’ locker-room culture.

“The pieces fit, first and foremost, and our core and how we play and what we do, what makes us unique and different,” the two-time NBA Most Valuable Player added.

Whether Curry is left celebrating a fourth NBA title by the end of this year’s finals will depend on his team’s ability to navigate their way around a Celtics team that in the eyes of many has been the most complete unit in the postseason.

“The Celtics are going to win the series and they are going to win the world championship because they are the best team remaining in the play-offs right now in my opinion,” was the unambiguous verdict of NBA icon Charles Barkley. 

The Celtics would become the most successful franchise in NBA history with an 18th title, putting them one clear of their bitter rivals the Los Angeles Lakers.

Boston’s offense has been spearheaded by the superb form of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, while the Celtics defence led by Marcus Smart and Robert Williams III has proved to be a formidable barrier.

The Celtics, who started the season as 50-1 outsiders for the title, have made a nonsense of those odds since surging into the play-offs after the mid-point of the regular season.

The star-studded Brooklyn Nets were swept aside 4-0 in the first round, before the Celtics then dispatched the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks in the second round.

In the Eastern Conference finals, top seeds Miami were beaten 4-3, the Celtics sealing victory with a gutsy game seven win on Sunday in Florida.

The fate of the series may well hinge on which team best manages its roster Both Williams and Smart have been nursing knocks in recent weeks; and whether their battered bodies can last another long series has to be open to question. 

A gulf in experience between the two rosters may also shape the outcome. 

The Celtics roster has zero games of NBA Finals experience; Golden State has a combined 123 games of experience.

Celtics coach Ime Udoka however insists experience won’t be an issue.

“I don’t think any of our guys are awed or intimidated by the moment at all,” Udoka said this week.

“We understand what it is, we know the opponent in front of us, and for us, as always, this year, it’s been business as usual, going on the road, not fazed by that at all.”

PARIS — Teenage star Coco Gauff and Martina Trevisan, a seasoned Italian professional who rebuilt her career after conquering anorexia, reached their maiden Grand Slam semifinals at the French Open on Tuesday.

Gauff, who burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old history-maker at Wimbledon three years ago, defeated fellow American Sloane Stephens 7-5, 6-2.

Trevisan needed three sets to see off 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez of Canada 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3.

Victory for Gauff, 18 years old and ranked 23 in the world, avenged her defeat to Stephens at the 2021 US Open and helped erase the memory of her quarter-final defeat last year to eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova in Paris.

“I feel so happy,” said Gauff. “Last year was a tough loss for me but I believe that match made me stronger.

“Last time I played Sloane I lost. Today was different. I stayed mentally strong as she is the kind of player who can make shots others can’t do.”

On Tuesday, Gauff broke in the second game of the match to lead 3-0 before 2018 runner-up Stephens levelled with a break and hold for 5-5.

However, clean, precise hitting allowed Gauff to dominate the 12th game to clinch the opener.

Stephens, playing in her first Slam quarter-final in three years, and Gauff traded breaks at the start of the second set before the teenager again pounced for 3-1.

Gauff held for 5-1, was broken for 5-2 before Stephens dropped serve for the fourth time in the set to hand her compatriot victory.

Gauff was junior champion at Roland Garros in 2018 and then rocketed into the public consciousness when she became the youngest woman to qualify for Wimbledon.

Her profile rocketed when she went all the way to the fourth round at the All England Club, knocking out Venus Williams on the way.

While in the French capital, Gauff has graduated high school, marking the occasion on Instagram with a family photo in front of the Eiffel Tower.

“Getting my diploma meant a lot to me,” she said on Tuesday.

Italian inspiration

“Lots of players think tennis is the most important thing and it’s not.”

World No. 59 Trevisan, 10 years older than Gauff, was a shock quarter-finalist in 2020.

She arrived at the French Open with a maiden WTA title in Rabat and went into Tuesday’s tie on a nine-match winning streak.

She made that 10 when she claimed victory on a second match point having wasted one in the second set with Fernandez left to rue her 44 unforced errors.

“I was very nervous on that first match point, I thought I was already in the semifinal,” said Trevisan, the first Italian woman to make the last four since Sara Errani in 2013.

Trevisan, now guaranteed a place in the top 30 at least, said Grand Slam titles by fellow Italians Francesca Schiavone in Paris in 2010 and Flavia Pennetta at the 2015 US Open were her influences.

“They are happy for me. They are my biggest inspirations.”

Two years ago, Trevisan, then ranked 159, knocked Gauff out in three sets in the second round in Paris.

She then revealed how she struggled as a teenager with an eating disorder after her father was diagnosed with a degenerative disease.

“Thirty grams of cereals and a fruit in the evening. It was enough for me to stand up, and to worry my mother, who ran to pick peaches from the trees just to see me eat something,” she wrote in an online blog.

“Fortunately, having reached the point of no return, I realised that I could not go on like this. I had lost all interest, I had closed myself in my cocoon.

“I was re-educated to eat.”

The remaining French Open quarter-finals take place on Wednesday when World No. 1 Iga Swiatek looks for a 33rd successive win when she faces Jessica Pegula of the United States.

Swiatek, who was celebrating her 21st birthday on Tuesday, was champion in Paris in 2020.

Daria Kasatkina and Veronika Kudermetova meet in the other, all-Russian quarter-final.