“It was a tricky match,” Coco Gauff said after taking down Tatjana Maria in the second round of the US Open. The 20-year-old started the game on a strong note, winning seven consecutive games, ultimately paving the way for her ninth-match victory at the US Open. With her sights firmly set on her eighth singles title, the American has vowed to keep the momentum going, and her latest move only reinforces her commitment to excellence!
The defending champion took only 80 minutes to establish a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Maria at Arthur Ashe Stadium. As the No. 3 seed defeated the German player for the second time in her career. Gauff realized she still needed to improve some aspects of her game.
After confessing how she lucked out of the “service games” in the first set with some difficulties, Gauff, who made nine double faults (three more compared to her first-round match), saod, “Obviously could serve better, but off the ground and at the net there were some errors, but I think every time it was the right decision to make. It was just about execution.
Furthermore, she added how she “got lucky” with her services and did not get “broken” several times even after not performing well. Perhaps that is why fans found Gauff (who could only land a mere 43% of first serves) on the net right after the game against the 37-year-old.
From Ashe to the practice court 👉
After her win, @CocoGauff got right back to work. pic.twitter.com/749hmSuG7p
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 29, 2024
A user on X posted a few glimpses of Gauff practicing her service games in the night, along with her coach, Brad Gilbert, who closely observed her throughout the session. She was also taking advice from her teammates to perfect her service, which she said was “not great at all” after the match. Despite her recent win, the American knows the cost of early exits from tournaments.
We saw her fall behind in Cincinnati and Canada, coupled with a disheartening third-round elimination from the 2024 Olympics as well. Gauff is not ready to take anything for granted, all the while keeping her confidence high. “The last couple of weeks were tough. And I was like I have to do this and do that but I don’t have to prove anything to anyone except myself. These two weeks are just about proving all the expectations that I have on myself,“ Gauff said after her first-round victory in the US Open.
The last time the French Open doubles winner qualified for a semifinal clash was against Jessica Pegula in Berlin. Since her defeat in that game, the World No. 3, who couldn’t get past the round of 16 at Wimbledon, has yet to show the same dominance. Will the US Open be the tournament where she will succeed? She has a vivid perspective!
Coco Gauff’s take on dealing with “expectations” in the US Open
Following a victory over Maria, Coco Gauff criticized and vowed to improve her serving techniques, which has been in question for a while during this season. But she held on to her “blueprint” of strategies to claim a win. Even when she defeated Varvara Gracheva in the first round by 6-2, 6-0, it was apparent that she was here to improve and not indulge in self-doubt about her ability to win the title.
“I have many more years coming back here and I’m not going to win every year. Just that perspective and just having the belief that I can — but not the expectation that I should,” the American said.
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Gauff’s next adventure in the Flushing Meadows includes her rival, Elina Svitolina, against whom she has won once among their two encounters. With more challenges lying ahead, Coco Gauff’s relentless passion to win is also growing stronger. One thing is sure: Gauff is giving it her all!
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