Coco Gauff Advances with Difficulty at the US Open
New York – Coco Gauff, after hiring a specialist to improve her serve, began her participation in the US Open with a complicated start. Despite the initial difficulties, she achieved a crucial victory that propels her to the next round of the tournament. The Tuesday night match at Arthur Ashe Stadium was not easy for the American tennis player. Gauff, seeded number 3, faced Ajla Tomljanovic and, although the final score was 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5 in her favor, the path was full of challenges. The match began with a double fault in the first game and a total of ten during the match. In addition, Gauff was broken in the same game and on six other occasions.Gauff led by a break in the second set, but failed to close out the set. In the third, she had a 5-3 lead and served to win the match at 5-4, but committed two consecutive double faults and missed two forehands, allowing Tomljanovic to tie the score. The tension of the moment could have affected Gauff, but she managed to compose herself, recovered the break, and finally secured the victory on her second attempt, almost three hours after the match began.It wasn’t the best, but I’m glad I got through this.
Coco Gauff
Recently, Gauff added Gavin MacMillan to her technical team, a biomechanics expert who previously helped Aryna Sabalenka improve her serve. MacMillan was present in Gauff’s box, right in front of her mother. After defeating Tomljanovic, Gauff described the practices with MacMillan as “really tough” and “mentally exhausting”.I had a lot of opportunities. … I was thinking, ‘Eventually, one of these is going to go well’.
Coco Gauff
Gauff’s main challenge has been the accumulation of double faults. Before the US Open, she had 320, the most on the women’s circuit this season, exceeding the next player by more than 100. During the match, Gauff adjusted her serve, starting with slower strokes. As the match progressed and the tension increased, she regained her usual speed, going from an average of 88 mph in the first set to 97 mph in the second and 101 in the third.The practice week was tough because I spent a lot of time on the court literally serving until, for example, my shoulder hurt.
Coco Gauff
Gauff’s victory was based on her excellent court coverage and her powerful backhand. A cross-court backhand gave her the match point, and Gauff celebrated with the audience. In addition, Gauff demonstrated her skill at the net, winning 12 of the 15 points she finished there, including a spectacular volley in the third set. This was Gauff’s first Grand Slam match since her early elimination at Wimbledon in July, a setback following her victory at Roland Garros in June. As Gauff progresses in the US Open, there is a possibility that she will surpass Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek in the rankings and reach number 1 for the first time.It’s a new motion. Sometimes I do it well, and sometimes not so well. When I do it well, or when I do it, it’s always a good result. I’m just reminding myself how to do it. But obviously there are a lot of things in my head in those difficult moments and I’m not just thinking about the serve. I’m thinking about how to play the point, where to serve, what she’s going to do.
Coco Gauff
