Coco Gauff arrived in New York this month with a lot of unnecessary baggage. While she didn’t get off to a bad start to the summer, a series of frustrating defeats in important matches left her mired in disappointment. In stark contrast to her situation last year, when she capped off the best performance of her life as a first Grand Slam champion, she returns to the US Open still searching for her best form.
In front of a thrilling crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Gauff took a positive step forward as she used her resilience and problem-solving skills to recover from a set down after a tentative start. , advancing to the fourth round with a strong score of 3-6.
“It means a lot. I knew today was going to be a tough game and Elena was a fighter every time,” Goff said. “I knew I had to play my best tennis and I thought I played pretty well. My serve was much better than the last game except for the last serve, but overall, I’m happy with what I’ve been able to do. things to be proud of.
While she eased into this phase with two efficient performances, this match was always going to be the first real test of Gauff’s level and her readiness to defend her title. Svitolina has built a great career based on her defense, consistency and courage. Her base level is really high, which means it usually takes a high-quality performance to beat her.
The 30-year-old Svitolina, who returned to tour after giving birth to daughter Skye in September, has been trying to play more aggressive tennis rather than relying on her own consistency and the hope her opponents miss.
She stepped up and sought the initiative, dominating most encounters by injecting rhythm into her two groundstrokes, especially her forehand, and constantly looking to break Gauff’s forehand.
Despite Goff’s early performances, she gradually lost her way. The Ukrainian continued to get the ball early, putting intense pressure on her, while Gauff particularly struggled with her reliable backhand. Trailing 2-2 in the set, she was on the brink of crisis.
Even though the game seemed to be slipping from her grasp, the 20-year-old from Atlanta, Georgia, remained calm and confident through the biggest moments.
Gauff drove herself to the baseline, using a powerful inside-out forehand to trigger a backhand error from Svitolina, and eventually executed an excellent hold to save the break point.
Surviving the tough match gave the world number three the motivation she had been looking for all afternoon. She hit a stunning return break in the next game, hitting a total of four winners, including two forehands, to close out the match, and she never looked back. Starting from a break point at 2-2 in the second set, Gauff won 9 of the next 11 games en route to an important victory.
The way Goff found her way out was particularly encouraging in her hopes of running deep again. Her defense, physicality and ability to win even when she wasn’t playing well were qualities that kept her rising as a youngster, but she knew she needed to take the initiative as well. What matters in the decisive moment here is that she serves well and has the confidence and ability to get to the baseline and make two baseline attacks.
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Less than an hour after Gauff pumped her fist in celebration of victory, she was back on the practice court working on her backhand, with one eye already on the next challenge.
“I just wanted to go out and have fun,” Goff told Sky Sports. “I know from winning a fight, from the fourth round, it’s still far away, there’s still a long way to go.
“I just focused on the game in front of me and enjoyed it. I wrote in my diary: ‘I don’t want to leave with any regrets. “No matter what the outcome is, I just want to give myself the best chance to win.
Gauff will next face her fast-rising compatriot, No. 13 seed Emma Navarro, who defeated her in the last 16 at Wimbledon last month. Navarro advanced to the fourth round in New York with a similarly tough 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over No. 19 seed Marta Kostejuk. In addition, Olympic champion and seventh seed Zheng Qinwen continued to lead, easily defeating Jules Niemeyer 6-2, 6-1.
