WATCH: Coco Gauff adds “Winning Ugly” to her reading list after Kostyuk roller coaster

Reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff will take on defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in a blockbuster Australian Open semifinal, after the American learned to “win ugly” against Marta Kostyuk on Tuesday.

Gauff has been on song since the start of the 2024 season, going 10-0 following her successful Auckland title defense and run to the semifinals in Melbourne—far and away the best showing of her career in Down Under.

But she had to overcome her biggest test of the tournament so far against Kostyuk, who pushed her to the distance in an error-strewn and nervy performance. Gauff dug deep, perhaps taking a page out of coach Brad Gilbert’s book *Winning Ugly*, to hold back the Ukrainian and advance, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (3), 6-2.

"I'm really happy and proud of the fight I showed today," Gauff said. "Marta's a really tough opponent; every time we play it's a tough match. I really fought and left it out on the court today."

But after her gritty performance, Gauff caught press in Melbourne by surprise when she revealed that she had, in fact, never read her coach’s iconic tennis tactics bestseller:

Q: Wondering if you have read (Brad Gilbert’s book) "Winning Ugly”?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I bought a copy but I didn't read it. Maybe I should add it to my reading list.

My mom actually got it for me when we were in the talks of just possibly working with Brad and she was like, ‘You need to read this.’ She read it and I didn't read it.

I feel like I got the real version so I don't need a book. But maybe it could help. I'll probably do it just to surprise him!

Gauff’s 17 winners and 51 unforced errors in the match are Gilbert’s definition of winning ugly, but as the coach says—a win is a win. And with it, Gauff is closing in on becoming the first player since Naomi Osaka in 2020-21 to win the US Open and Australian Open back-to-back.

Bidding for her second Grand Slam title, Gauff is prepared for a fight as she faces the No. 2 seed for the second major in a row.

“Always a tough match with her,” Gauff said in her post-match press conference. “I think she's playing well this tournament. Yeah, obviously that US Open final was tough… I think either way it's going to be a tough match.”

She’ll have a boost of confidence going into it as well, with the pair’s head-to-head record being 4-2 in Gauff’s favor. She also won their most recent meeting at last year’s US Open—a defeat that Sabalenka has said has her seeking “revenge”.