Coco Gauff Advances in U.S. Open After Tough First-Round Battle
Coco Gauff had a challenging start in her first match since getting extra help to improve her serve at the U.S. Open on Tuesday night. She double-faulted multiple times early on and faced several breaks, making the opening stages tricky.
Despite the rocky start, Gauff managed to secure a hard-fought 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5 win over Ajla Tomljanovic, advancing to the second round at Flushing Meadows.
“It wasn’t my best performance, but I’m happy to move on,” Gauff said after the match.
The match was closely contested throughout. Gauff twice led by a break in the second set but couldn’t close it out, and in the third set, she served for the victory at 5-4 before a few errors leveled the score at 5-all.
Tomljanovic acknowledged the pressure of facing a top player: “In the first round, even if you’re Coco, it’s never easy.”
Gauff remained composed, broke back, and finally served out the match on her second opportunity, ending a nearly three-hour battle on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
