By Defending U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff showcased her resilience and determination on Friday, rallying from a set down to defeat 27th-seeded Elina Svitolina 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the tournament’s third round. The victory sets up a fourth-round encounter with fellow American Emma Navarro on Sunday.
Gauff, the 20-year-old third seed from Florida, found herself in trouble early, dropping the first set and losing 11 consecutive points at one stage. Recognizing the need for a change, Gauff took a strategic bathroom break before the second set, changing part of her outfit and splashing water on her face.
“Felt like a new person coming out,” Gauff said post-match. “I just didn’t want to leave the court with any regrets.”
The reset proved effective as Gauff surged back, winning nine of the next 11 games. Her comeback echoed her performances from last year’s U.S. Open, where she won the title despite losing the first set in three matches, including the final against Aryna Sabalenka.
“It was in my mind today. It gave me a lot of confidence,” Gauff reflected, “just because it felt like dĂ©jĂ vu a little bit.”
The match statistics highlighted Gauff’s turnaround. After committing 16 unforced errors and landing only 45% of her first serves in the opening set, she significantly improved her play in the following two sets. Gauff also made a conscious effort to engage the partisan crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, which Svitolina later acknowledged as a factor in the match’s momentum shift.
Svitolina, a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist, revealed she was hampered by an ankle injury sustained the previous week. “I feel like she started to go (for) more a little bit. But to be fair, I didn’t play the way that I wanted to play. … Then she started to be more alive,” Svitolina said.
Gauff’s victory comes amidst a challenging period where she had won just five of her previous nine matches and struggled against top-50 opponents. This win marks a significant step in regaining the form that saw her claim her first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows last year.
Looking ahead to the fourth round, Gauff will face 13th-seeded Emma Navarro, who eliminated her at Wimbledon earlier this year. Navarro, who advanced with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 win over No. 19 Marta Kostyuk, expressed confidence in her approach to playing Gauff.
“I did a good job of neutralizing her serve and just playing really aggressive from the baseline and pushing back against her groundstrokes,” Navarro said, reflecting on their Wimbledon encounter.
The match against Navarro presents another challenge for Gauff as she continues her title defense. With the support of the home crowd and the confidence gained from her comeback victory, Gauff appears ready for the tests ahead.
“I’m glad that I had that match,” Gauff concluded, “because I think it just makes me match-tough and gets me ready, probably, for future challenges.”
As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on Gauff to see if she can replicate last year’s success and cement her status as one of tennis’s brightest young stars.
