4 weeks ago
12
If the last few days have shown anything about Coco Gauff, it is a fragility to her game and her emotions.
Tears on the court, struggles with her serve and a reminder that she is only 21 years old; a young woman with the weight of the world on her shoulders, trying desperately to cope with the pressure.
Bathed in Saturday sunshine on Arthur Ashe, though, none of that was on show as a stoic, focused Gauff dismantled No 28 seed Magdalena Frech in straight sets, 6-3 6-1.
What a difference two days can make. From 'the worst I've ever felt' in Thursday's second round battle against Donna Vekic, Gauff was in imperious form, delighting a bumper crowd that had shelled out thousands of dollars for the hottest ticket in town.
'It's been an emotional week,' Gauff told the crowd after Saturday's big win, 'but I think I needed those tough moments to move forward. I was putting so much pressure on myself, but today I showed I was really having fun out there.'
The narrative surrounding the American at this year's US Open has been on her struggling serve, with the two-time Grand Slam champion firing coach Brad Gilbert and hiring serving guru Gavin MacMillan just six days out from arriving at Flushing Meadows.
And so, she has been learning on the go, working it all out in front of 23,000 fans on the biggest stage. And little by little, it seems to be working.
A 61% first serve percentage in round one was improved to 69% in round two, and Gauff's motion looked back to its best against Frech, with 76% in play.
As for double faults: 10 in her first match, eight in her second, and just four here. With each passing match, she looks ever more impressive.
Not that her Polish opponent didn't rise to the occasion herself. In her debut on Arthur Ashe, she embarked on a series of grueling baseline rallies with the world No 3, matching her stride for stride and at times silencing the partisan American crowd.
The defining moment of the first set came on Frech's serve at 3-4. Having each been broken once, Gauff fought back from 30-0 down, finally converting a third break point to take a 5-3 lead and give herself the chance to serve for the set.
And that she did, seeing it out with relative ease to spark a rare scream of emotion from the 21-year-old, the crowd rising to its feet at the same time.
Now, Gauff was well and truly in the New York Groove, and try as Frech might it is almost impossible to stop her when she's in this mood.
The Pole managed - just - to hold her serve in the opening game, before Gauff unleashed a furious 20 minutes of tennis. 1-1, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1, Frech hardly given a chance to steady herself against the brutal pace of her opponent.
With the match nearly out of her grasp, Frech rallied back to deuce in the next game, but Gauff once again proved too strong with a looping forehand to secure a 5-1 lead.
From there, Gauff saw it out in style, breaking again to see the second set out 6-1, and book her spot in the fourth round, where she'll face Daria Kasatkina, or a blockbuster match against Naomi Osaka.
'I can't put into words how privileged I feel to be out here in front of you guys,' Gauff beamed as she came off court.
If she continues to improve like this, there may be no stopping her.
