Coco Gauff admitted that night matches at Arthur Ashe Stadium can be “a little bit more nerve-racking,” and it showed in the early moments of her match on Wednesday night. The defending US Open champion had to shake off some initial jitters before ultimately defeating Germany’s Tatjana Maria to secure her spot in the third round.
The 20-year-old, who captured her first Grand Slam title last year, is now a fan favorite in New York, with the pressure of the spotlight occasionally weighing on her under the bright lights of Arthur Ashe. Gauff struggled early, losing her first service game and battling to keep her first serve in play during the opening set. She had to dig deep, surviving three deuces to avoid being broken for a second time.
However, it didn’t take long for Gauff to find her rhythm. She went on to claim a 6-4, 6-0 victory, keeping her title defense alive in impressive fashion. With the first set tied at 3-3, Gauff secured a crucial break against Maria and never looked back.
Maria tried to slow the game down with constant slices, but Gauff’s power and resilience proved too much. Despite a shaky start, which included seven double faults and 20 unforced errors in the first set, Gauff displayed flashes of brilliance, including a masterful drop shot that set up a wide-open winner to take a 5-3 lead.
While it wasn’t a perfect performance, the crowd witnessed moments of Gauff at her best. Now, she looks to carry that confidence into her next match as she aims to become the first woman to defend her US Open title since Serena Williams did from 2012 to 2014.
Gauff may not be old enough to drink legally in the US, but she’s already a superstar in the tennis world. Although the pressure of packed night sessions and thousands of fans is a lot to handle, she’s proving that she’s up to the challenge.
Gauff had to work hard to close out the first set, but her persistence paid off as she dominated the second set. She sealed the match with a backhand winner after a long rally, and now she’s gearing up for a tough battle against world No. 27 Elina Svitolina on Friday.
