Coco Gauff found strength in an unexpected source as she battled nerves and double faults to reach the US Open third round.
The defending champion overcame Croatia’s Donna Vekic 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, later crediting gymnastics icon Simone Biles for giving her the calm she desperately needed.
Although Gauff, 21, looked in control early, her serve betrayed her again. This forced a messy first set littered with eight double faults.
The crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium grew tense as both players traded breaks, with Gauff even hiding under her towel in tears after losing a key game. Nevertheless, her determination did not fade, and she regrouped to seal the tiebreak before cruising through the second set.
Interestingly, Gauff had only recently made a drastic adjustment to address her serving woes. Days before the tournament, she dismissed grip specialist Matt Daly and brought in biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan, the same figure who previously helped Aryna Sabalenka overcome similar issues.
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Tears, turmoil, and triumph for the defending champion
Despite the chaos on serve, Gauff showed why overcoming adversity remains one of her greatest assets. After a bathroom break helped her reset, she returned with a clearer head and produced cleaner groundstrokes, eventually limiting the errors that had threatened to derail her defense. With greater composure, she turned the contest around as she proved again that resilience often separates champions from contenders.
Moreover, Gauff’s emotional response did not end when the match concluded. During her on-court interview, she broke down again while reflecting on the experience.
Gauff admitted she had “never felt like that on court before.” Still, she spoke about the positives, insisting her serve showed signs of improvement compared to her Cincinnati loss and stressing that growth takes patience.
Now, Gauff advances to face Polish 28th seed Magdalena Frech in the last 32. With Biles’ presence inspiring her to believe in her ability under pressure, the American star remains determined to push forward.
Tags: Coco Gauff, Donna Vekic, Simone Biles, US Open, #USOpen, #USOpen2025, Magdalena Frech.
