Coco Gauff Battles Through Serve Struggles to Reach US Open Fourth Round
NEW YORK – Coco Gauff advanced to the fourth round of the US Open today, but her path to victory has been marked by a highly visible and emotionally taxing struggle with her serve. The 20-year-old American, a leading contender for the title, has openly grappled with a technical issue that has manifested in a surge of double faults and visible distress on court, culminating in tears after her second-round match against Donna Vekić.
Gauff initially attributed the problem to a “biomechanical thing” she had “wrong,” dismissing suggestions of a mental block. ”It’s not a mental thing,” she stated in a press conference. “It’s a biomechanical thing that I had wrong, and I’m just trying my best to get it right.” she explained to The Athletic that the issue wouldn’t simply disappear.
The struggle was evident against Vekić, where Gauff committed seven double faults in the first set and was seen crying and with visibly shaking hands during changeovers. Despite the difficulties, she managed to secure a 7-6, 6-2 victory, expressing relief and gratitude to the crowd afterward, though admitting it was “the worst I’ve ever felt on the court.”
The pressure surrounding Gauff’s serve is unique, as it’s a fundamental action with no room for evasion. The match against Vekić was further intricate by the opponent’s own arm injury, adding to the tense atmosphere in Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Gauff found inspiration from an unexpected source: Simone Biles, the decorated gymnast, who was in attendance. Gauff reflected on Biles’s performance on the balance beam, reasoning that if Biles could execute her routines on a four-inch beam, she could manage to land a serve in the expansive tennis court.Though, the connection to Biles also prompted reflection on Biles’s own experience with disorientation under pressure at the Tokyo Olympics, highlighting the interplay between physical execution and mental state.
In her third-round match against Magdalena Fręch, Gauff showed signs of improvement, hitting her first toss and serving without being broken in her opening game. She ultimately won 6-3,6-1,with a more controlled four double faults and a return to her typical first serve speed. The turnaround, she demonstrated, was a testament to her enduring fight and resilience.
