Coco Gauff Stages Thrilling Comeback Against Elina Svitolina to Continue US Open 2024 Title Defense
The No. 3 seed, Coco Gauff, overcomes a set deficit to earn a spot in the US Open’s second round and increase her record of victories at Flushing Meadows to ten games.
At the US Open, Coco Gauff showed her tenacity by overcoming a fierce contest from Elina Svitolina to make it to the fourth round. The third-seeded Gauff team overcame a set disadvantage to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 at Arthur Ashe Stadium after a fierce battle.
The No. 3 seed extended her winning streak at Flushing Meadows to ten matches, but not before challenging former world No. 3 and No. 27 seed Svitolina. The victory took place in two hours and three minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Despite her early exits from Wimbledon, the Summer Olympics, and the Cincinnati Open—where she was the defending champion—Gauff arrived in New York feeling mixed but upbeat.
The 20-year-old stated at her Media Day news conference, “The main focus was trying to be as ready as possible for here, which I feel like it was a blessing in disguise I lost so early, because I was able to actually train, which I hadn’t been able to.” “I perform at my best after a training block.”
The American won both of her first two matches without dropping a set, so that seemed to be the case. Nevertheless, Svitolina would demonstrate a striking increase in difficulty; the Ukrainian is a three-time Grand Slam semifinalist, having been to the US Open semifinals in 2019.
After missing the most of the 2022 season to give birth to her daughter Skaï with husband and fellow player Gael Monfils, Svitolina shot back up the rankings, making it to the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Roland Garros and Wimbledon Championships last year.
The 29-year-old’s career was significantly slowed in 2024 by a back ailment, but she still displayed hints of her best play throughout the year, forcing world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka to a third-set tiebreaker at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
In their head-to-head match, Gauff and Svitolina were level with one victory apiece. Gauff had won their most recent meeting on hard courts in January at the ASB Classic.
Nevertheless, Svitolina took the early lead, applying pressure to Gauff’s less strong forehand side and winning two lengthy games to break the tie and close the first set.
In the second set, Svitolina seemed like she could break early, which made Gauff work extra hard. In the fifth game, she turned the tables by gliding a forehand into the open court to win her first lead of the match. She had saved break point in the previous set.
Cheers of “Let’s go, Coco!” echoed through the stadium as Gauff leveled the match with an ace and served her way to three set points.
In order to maintain a 2-0 advantage, Gauff maintained that momentum into the championship game by breaking to open and earning the best point of the contest. Svitolina came dangerously close to surrendering a two-break lead in the opening set, but she looked exhausted as she committed her match’s thirty-first unforced error.
Gauff double faulted on her first two match opportunities, but Svitolina bravely held her ground and won on her third match point with a backhand. Although Gauff recovered from a break point with a winner of her own, Svitolina persisted in her attempt to gain back a break.
The No. 13 seed Emma Navarro, who beat Gauff at Wimbledon, or the No. 19 seed Marta Kostyuk, who took her to three sets at the Australian Open and defeated her on clay a few months later at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, will square off in the next round and determine Gauff’s opponent.
