NEW YORK — Navigating high expectations is no small feat, especially for Coco Gauff. She’s not only mindful of what others anticipate from her but also holds herself to a high standard.
A second-round exit from the U.S. Open on Thursday night was simply out of the question. The thought of double-faulting her way out would be the worst possible outcome. After missing two serves that led to a break in the opening set against Donna Vekic in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Gauff felt the weight of her emotions and couldn’t keep them at bay.
Tears streamed down her face. She sought refuge beneath a towel on the sidelines. As she returned to the court following a changeover, she dabbed at her eyes between points, fighting to regain her focus and seeking a pathway to victory. After recovering and eliminating Vekic 7-6 (5), 6-2 in the second set, the tears returned, a reflection of her journey.
“I think I show everyone what it means to be human. I have tough days, but it’s about how you rise from those moments and display your resilience,” said Gauff, the tournament’s No. 3 seed who clinched her first Grand Slam title this year at Flushing Meadows. “Today, I demonstrated that I can bounce back even when I felt at my lowest on the court.”
Her serving hiccups are not new, echoing a past season where 19 double-faults led to an early exit as she defended her title in New York. This year, she tops the tour with over 300 double-faults, including an astonishing 23 in a single match recently. In response, she enlisted biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan, renowned for revamping Aryna Sabalenka’s serve, just before this U.S. Open.
MacMillan has transformed Gauff’s serving technique, leading her to hit so many serves in practice that her shoulder is feeling the strain.
“The toughest part is reworking my motion and adjusting everything right before such a major tournament,” Gauff remarked. “This event always makes me nervous, and coupled with everything else, it’s a lot to handle.”
In her first-round match, Gauff had to fight through three sets against Ajla Tomljanovic, partly due to her serving challenges.
Yet, like before, Gauff’s strong defense and baseline prowess propelled her past Vekic.
What made Thursday’s match so emotional for her?
“It was purely nerves and pressure. I’m typically someone who excels in such moments. However, this tournament has presented more challenges than usual, which I anticipated,” Gauff explained. “What you witnessed was genuine, and I managed to regroup. It was a tough moment on the court, and the last few weeks have been challenging, both on and off it, but I’m just grateful to have moved forward today.”
Vekic, who triumphed over Gauff at the Paris Olympics last year, called for a medical timeout to address her right shoulder late in the first set while facing her own serve-related issues, double-faulting a total of 10 times.
During the first set, Gauff — a 21-year-old from Florida — had seven double-faults and lost four out of six service games, trailing 5-4 when her emotions surfaced, and 6-5 shortly thereafter. Nonetheless, she managed to break back each time and ultimately excelled in the tiebreaker.
As Vekic sent a forehand long to end the set, Gauff’s mother leaped from her seat, situated one row behind MacMillan, exclaiming, “Let’s go!”
Gauff then made her way to the locker room to splash water on her face and regain composure.
With renewed focus, the second set unfolded more smoothly: only one double-fault and zero service breaks, with a supportive crowd that included standout gymnast Simone Biles.
By the match’s conclusion, a transformed Gauff celebrated with fervor, pumping her fist as she embraced victory.
She noticed Biles in attendance.
“She really inspired me. I thought: If she can conquer a 6-inch beam under such immense pressure, then I can certainly manage to make my shots. … Her story provided me with a sense of calm, and I admire her resilience,” Gauff reflected.
