"Gauff overcomes nerves to set up US Open showdown with Osaka"

Coco Gauff arrived in New York facing uncertainty after making adjustments to her coaching team just before the year’s final major tournament. Her strong performance at Roland Garros in June was followed by struggles with her serve, leading to inconsistent results—including an early exit at Wimbledon. She described the change as a focused decision, emphasizing a long-term approach rather than a short-term fix.

After two challenging night matches to start her US Open campaign, the 21-year-old finally found her rhythm on Saturday morning. She secured her place in the tournament’s second week for the fourth consecutive year with a straightforward 6-3, 6-1 victory over Poland’s Magdalena Frech.

To address her serving issues, Gauff has been working with biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan, who previously helped Aryna Sabalenka refine her serve and rise to world No. 1. The early rounds had been difficult, with a tough three-set battle against Ajla Tomljanovic and an emotional win over Donna Vekic. “It’s been an intense week,” Gauff admitted. “I needed those tough moments to push forward. I was putting too much pressure on myself.”

This time, however, she remained composed. Playing under daylight before a lively holiday weekend crowd, Gauff kept her double faults to four, built an early lead, and responded firmly when Frech briefly fought back. In a tense seventh game, a strong serve at 40-30 helped her regain control, and she closed out the set with confidence.

The second set was more decisive. A grueling 20-shot rally went Gauff’s way to secure the first break, and Frech’s growing errors allowed another break soon after. The Polish player, competing as a seeded player at a major for the first time, struggled to challenge Gauff in extended exchanges. “She doesn’t give you much pace or angles, so you have to create opportunities yourself,” Gauff said afterward.

Her serve, often unreliable in recent months, became a strength. She landed nearly 80% of her first serves in the opening set and lost only two points on serve in the second. Even a late double fault failed to disrupt her—she erased the threat with a sharp volley and sealed the win in 73 minutes. “Today felt like progress,” she said. “I’m proud of the mental effort—sticking to what we’ve been working on.”

The difference from her earlier matches was clear. Instead of hesitation, she played aggressively from the baseline and approached the net confidently. While her serve—especially her toss—still needs work, her movement was smoother and her self-assurance stronger. She even hinted that more improvements were on the way.