An emotional Coco Gauff expressed her gratitude to Olympic champion Simone Biles for providing a sense of “calm” as she managed to defeat Croatia’s Donna Vekic 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 in the second round of the US Open.
The 21-year-old Gauff was brought to tears due to multiple double faults but eventually secured the win on a supportive Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Biles, a seven-time Olympic gold medalist, was part of the New York audience as Gauff struggled through a challenging first set that was at times difficult to watch.
Seeing Biles cheering her on, Gauff remarked, “She helped me pull it out.
If she can perform on a six-inch beam under immense pressure, then I can hit the ball into this court. It brought me a little bit of calm. She is an inspiration to me, and her presence helped me win.”
Just days before her home Grand Slam, Gauff made a significant decision to reorganize her team in an effort to reduce her double faults.
This “sudden decision” came after she recorded 16 double faults in her Cincinnati match against Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.
As a result, grip specialist Matt Daly was let go, and biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan, who had previously assisted rival Aryna Sabalenka with her serving issues, was brought on board.
This drastic change has led to increased scrutiny during what is already a high-pressure tournament for the 2023 champion.
Gauff began to cry under a towel during a changeover after a double fault allowed Vekic to break back for 4-4. This was one of eight double faults she committed in the first set.
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Although she managed to win a messy opener that featured eight breaks of serve, Gauff felt the need to regroup during a bathroom break before the second set.
Overcoming challenges is one of Gauff’s greatest strengths, and she managed to limit her double faults to secure a straight-set victory.
During her on-court interview, Gauff broke down again, saying, “I’ve never felt like that on the court before. When you’re learning something new, you don’t feel comfortable, and I think it affects everything else.
I played really well; my serving can improve, but it was better than my last match. There are a lot of positives to take away, and I need to focus on that.”
Gauff will next face Polish 28th seed Magdalena Frech in the round of 32.
Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek acknowledged that she “made some mistakes” during a tough three-set victory over world number 66 Suzan Lamens to advance to the third round of the US Open.
The second seed Swiatek quickly dominated the first set against her Dutch opponent and appeared to be on track for a typical early-round win.
However, she became frustrated as her level dropped significantly, allowing Lamens to come back into the match after Swiatek had a double break lead in the second set.
In the deciding set, the Polish player regained control and ultimately secured a 6-1 victory.
