Coco Gauff didn’t lose a set in her first two matches at this year’s US Open, but in her third match with Elina Svitolina she had to work hard to turn the tables after losing the opening set. She did it, however, prolonging her hopes of defending the title she won last season. The American didn’t have an easy path, however, because in the next phase she was waiting for a tennis player who already knows the taste of winning against the 20-year-old, and at a Grand Slam at that.
We are talking about Emma Navarro, who eliminated the third-ranked WTA tennis player in the fourth round of this year’s Wimbledon. It just so happens that the two met again in the same phase of the tournament in front of their home crowd. Gauff had the additional pressure of defending her title and the fact that if she failed, she would fall out of the top “5” of the women’s ranking, and after all, she was the vice-leader just a few days ago.
Emma Navarro has found a way to beat Coco Gauff again. The 20-year-old will not defend her title from last year
From the beginning of the match, Navarro played smart tactically, sending more balls to the defending champion’s forehand. Gauff had a lot of trouble with her serve, making several double faults in the first game. However, she saved four break points for 2-0 for Emma, and a moment later she had a chance to break. The older American also withstood the pressure under the test and returned to the lead.
The key moment of the opening round of the duel came in the sixth game. Coco’s service problems started again. At the end, she made two double faults and allowed her opponent to gain a break advantage. She didn’t let her go until the end of the set. Navarro even had one chance to close the set with a score of 6:2, but in the end she had to do it on her own serve. She had no problems with that, she won the game to zero. Gauff was shocked by the number of unforced errors – as many as 21 over 9 games.
After losing the set, the 20-year-old went for a toilet break. After returning, she had to defend a break point again, but she did it with an effective serve. Although we watched a duel between two Americans at Arthur Ashe Stadium, it was clear that the audience was definitely rooting more for the defending champion from last year. Despite this, Emma consistently watched her own serves, keeping up with her opponent.
In the seventh game, Gauff again felt the pressure on her own serve. At 30-30, she made a double service fault, which resulted in a break point. And Navarro played the leading role in it. She played a great ball into the corner and took the lead 4-3 with a break. However, that was not the end of the excitement. In the next game, Emma caught the first crisis on her serve. She lost the score from 30-0, allowing break points. And at the third chance, she made a double service fault.
The audience reacted to this turn of events with great enthusiasm. There was a twist that had its continuation. Gauff was carried by the cheering of the stands, while Navarro looked subdued. Coco lived to see two more games under her belt and won the set 6:4.
After a weaker fragment, Emma was reborn at the start of the decisive set, she returned to the fight. And the 20-year-old felt it immediately, because double service faults started to creep in again. At the end of the third game, she made two in a row and Navarro took the lead with a break. This time, she confidently managed to confirm the advantage and it became 3:1. In the seventh game, Gauff’s serve fell again. She recorded another three errors, but it did not result in losing her own serve. She made contact again and was still in the game for the victory.
A moment later, however, she lost to her own weaknesses. In the ninth game, another series of double faults appeared and the match came to an end. 6:3, 4:6, 6:3 for Emma Navarro after more than two hours of fighting. In the quarterfinals of the US Open, the 23-year-old will play Paula Badosa. Today, the Spaniard defeated Yafan Wang in spectacular style 6:1, 6:2.
US Open. Coco Gauff – Warwara Graczewa. Match summary. VIDEO/AP/© 2024 Associated Press
Coco Gauff/CHARLY TRIBALLEAU / AFP/AFP
Coco Gauff/Vaughn Ridley / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP/AFP
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