Coco Gauff at the US Open. Image: Prange/ Getty Images.
(The Post News)- Coco Gauff found herself overwhelmed with emotion as she struggled through a flurry of double faults early in her match. The pressure was heavy.
She was reduced to tears during a tense and error-filled first set. However, with the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium firmly behind her, she managed to regroup, regain her composure, and ultimately secure a hard-fought 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 victory.
Among the many supporters in the stands was seven-time Olympic gold medallist Simone Biles, whose presence did not go unnoticed. As the third seed, Gauff faced high expectations, and the first set proved especially difficult, filled with nervy moments that made for a tough watch. Yet the young star continued to push through, fueled in part by the energy of the New York crowd and the inspiration drawn from Biles.
After the match, Gauff reflected on how much it meant to see someone like Biles cheering her on. “She helped me pull it out,” Gauff said. “I looked up and saw her there, and I thought to myself, ‘If Simone can perform on a six-inch beam with the entire world watching and all that pressure on her shoulders, then I can certainly find the strength to hit the ball in the court.”
Her words captured not only the difficulty of the match but also the mental resilience required to overcome those moments, something she continues to develop as one of the rising stars in tennis. Just days before her home Grand Slam, Coco Gauff made a bold decision to restructure her team in an effort to curb her ongoing struggle with double faults. The move came after she served 16 double faults in her loss to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in Cincinnati, a performance that prompted what Gauff called a “sudden decision.”
As part of the reshuffle, Gauff parted ways with grip specialist Matt Daly and brought in biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan, known for helping Aryna Sabalenka conquer similar serving issues. This major change drew extra attention to her campaign at an already pressure-filled tournament, where she entered as the defending 2023 champion.
The effects of that pressure quickly became evident. During a tense first set against Donna Vekic, Gauff broke down in tears under a towel at the changeover after a double fault allowed Vekic to level the score at 4-4. That mistake marked one of eight double faults Gauff committed in the opening set, which featured a chaotic eight service breaks in total.
Despite the messy start, Gauff managed to steady herself. She took a bathroom break before the second set to regroup mentally and returned to the court with renewed focus. Drawing on one of her core strengths, her ability to overcome adversity, she reduced her double faults and closed out the match in straight sets.
Gauff, who struck the ball cleanly from the baseline, couldn’t hold back her emotions during the post-match interview, breaking down once again as she processed both the stress and the triumph of the moment.
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