Gauff downs Petkovic to reach first WTA final

Updated 12/10/2019 at 14:05 GMT

Coco Gauff's phenomenal breakout year continued as she defeated Andrea Petkovic in Linz to reach her first-ever WTA tour-level final.

Cori Gauff of US reacts during the WTA-Upper Austria Ladies tennis match against Stefanie Voegele of Switzerland (unseen) on October 8, 2019 in Linz, Austria. (Photo by BARBARA GINDL / APA / AFP)

Image credit: Getty Images

It was a slow start for the 15-year-old, who lost the opening two games of the match, but never looked back as she claimed the first set 6-4.

'Brilliant!' - Gauff wins point with outrageous pass

The second-set was a more straightforward affair, though after breaking for a 3-2 lead, Gauff was twice forced to dig deep to save break-back points from Petkovic.

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She missed one match point as the German hung in there, but converted her second to become the youngest finalist at a WTA event since Nicole Vaidisova, the 2004 Tashkent winner.

"It's crazy," he said after the match.

"I thought I was out of the tournament in the qualifying and now I'm here. This is definitely the most drop shots I've hit in the tournament, it's normally not my most comfortable shot but it's been working."