US Open: Three reasons why Delray Beach's Coco Gauff can win her first major
Editor's note: This was written on the eve of the US Open. With Coco Gauff getting ready to play in the finals of the Open Saturday for the first time in her career, we are bringing it out again.Coco Gauff attended Friday’s WTA 50th anniversary gala in Manhattan and delivered an eloquent five-minute speech.
“I feel like I’ve walked into a history lesson," Gauff told the audience that included all the old-time greats, such as Billie Jean King and Chris Evert.
Coco was the only top player to make an appearance. That doesn’t mean the 19-year-old from Delray Beach is destined for Grand Slam greatness soon.
But Gauff’s poise, leadership and brains bode well to suggest that she’s on the cusp.
Despite being the seventh seed at the U.S. Open, which starts Monday, Gauff is playing better than anyone on the WTA Tour entering the Flushing fortnight.
She will be the opener on the Monday night prime-time card at Arthur Ashe Stadium against German qualifier Laura Siegemund.
Gauff weaved a career run during the WTA’s American summer hardcourt series, winning titles in Washington, D.C., and the biggest Open tune-up at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati last weekend.
In between, she played her buddy, Jessica Pegula, in the Montreal quarterfinals and lost an epic three-setter.
Here are three things Coco needs to do to win her home Slam — and first major. Gauff’s top showing at a Grand Slam was in the finals of the 2022 French Open.
Winning Ugly
That’s the title of her new coaching adviser Brad Gilbert’s famous book. She seems to be spewing its narrative.
We all know Coco’s strengths — pounding serve, vicious two-handed backhand and athletic court movement. But she served modestly in the Cincinnati finals against Karolina Muchova but was terrific on defense.
Her service return was rock-solid and she posted more breaks than usual. Plus, she used her quickness to cover the court with gusto — a must against the power-packed shots of Muchova.
According to a tennis insider, Gilbert has moved Coco back a couple of feet on the service return. This gives her more time to use the extreme grips she has on both her forehand and backhand.
According to the insider, Gilbert had felt Gauff was a perfectionist and got down too easily if matters weren’t going just right.
"I think especially in that final against Muchova, I wasn't playing my best tennis, but I was still able to win that match and win it in straight sets," Coco said. “I think I have much more confidence now in other aspects of my game. Maybe if my serve isn't working, I have confidence in my groundstrokes or vice versa."
Finding same recipe to beat Iga Swiatek
Gauff didn’t get a good draw, having to face Swiatek in the quarterfinals with the Polish star looking for revenge.
Coco also is on the same half of the draw as 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina. They would meet in the semifinals.
Also looming as a tough second-round match is the Russian 16-year-old phenom Mirra Andreeva, whom Coco needed to rally to beat in three sets at the French. Coco could also face dangerous Floridian Danielle Collins in the early rounds.
But getting through Swiatek again will be the huge challenge. After losing seven straight times to Swiatek without even taking a set, Gauff finally found the formula in the Cincinnati semifinals. That win should give her more confidence going into a rematch.
Plus, a source says Gauff tried a different approach vs. Swiatek, going full bore on her serve that hovered between 115 and 120 mph.
In the past, Gauff was tentative about going for broke against Swiatek, worried the reigning U.S. Open champion would feast on her second serve.
Coco also should hope for a humid two weeks in Queens. After winning in Cincy, she mentioned the heat worked to her benefit because of her South Florida upbringing.
A forehand frenzy
The knock on Gauff across her teenage years is that she makes too many mistakes on the forehand. That wasn’t the case in Washington as she crushed Maria Sakkari 6-2, 6-3 in the final on Aug. 7.
In fact, Sakkari said on ESPN that her downfall was attacking Gauff’s forehand, hoping to glean mistakes. But the Greek star admitted the errors never came.
If the Coco forehand shows steady improvement, an iconic moment could take place on Sept. 9 in the championship round at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: US Open: Coco Gauff rides winning streak into potential first Grand Slam
