Defending champion Coco Gauff returns to action and advances to 4th round of US Open

After hitting a 94-mph ace down the doubles aisle to win the second set, Coco Gauff pumped her fist as the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium erupted in applause.

The defending US Open champion and No. 3 seed turned the momentum to her advantage, beating 27th-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the round of 16. After losing the first set, she didn’t let it get her down and found the level she needed to win, relying on her speed, serve and forehand — which has been questionable this summer — to carry her through.

“I know you guys were waiting for the right moment to bring (energy) and I think it worked out, I was able to come back,” Gauff told the crowd. “It’s my favorite court to play on, Ashe really brings energy and I really appreciate you guys.”

She added: “I tried to be more aggressive on the forehand side and make fewer mistakes on the backhand side. I think the difference was just being more aggressive on the serve.”

Gauff is no stranger to adversity at the Open, having come from behind to advance three times during her title run last year.

In the next round on Sunday, the 20-year-old will face either No. 13 Emma Navarro — who defeated her in the fourth round at Wimbledon — or No. 19 Marta Kostyuk.

Gauff is still alive and became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2014 to repeat the feat in New York.

Svitolina, 29, is married to French tennis player Gael Monfils, who was sitting in her box. The couple has a nearly 2-year-old daughter, Skai.

Svitolina, ranked 28th in the world, entered the tournament with 39 wins over top-10 opponents. She reached the semifinals of the US Open in 2019 and has twice reached the semifinals of Wimbledon, most recently in 2023.

Gauff struggled with her serve early on after doing well in her first two matches. She saved eight of eight break points in the first round and four of five in the second.

According to ESPN’s Mary Joe Fernandez, coach Brad Gilbert’s game plan for Gauff was to avoid cross-court forehand rallies with Svitolina and instead try to send the ball high to Svitolina’s backhand.

With the score at 3-4 in the first set, Gauff was down 0-40 before she slammed a two-handed backhand into the net to give Svitolina a 5-3 lead.

Svitolina closed out the first set at 0-0 when Gauff sent a forehand wide on triple break point.

In the second set, it was Gauff who scored first.

At 2-3, 30-1, Svitolina served and Gauff hit a forehand return winner down the line to earn a break point, then secured the break at 30-40 with a forehand cross winner to make it 4-2.

Serving to even the score at 5-3, Gauff hit a 94-mph ace on set point and then pumped her fist, drawing thunderous applause from the crowd.

“In the second set, the crowd really came alive for Coco and really, really supported her, and that gives her energy,” 18-time Grand Slam champion Chrissie Evert told ESPN.

Mary Joe Fernandez said: “It was her serve and forehand that allowed her to win the second set.”

In the decisive third set, Svitolina committed two double faults early in the first game, but Gauff broke her to take a 1-0 lead.

Gauff earned a double break for 4-1 when Svitolina hit a forehand.

Serving 5-2, 40-0, Gauff committed two double faults before being broken for 5-3.

Svitolina then found herself trailing 0-40 on her serve, and the game ended when Svitolina hit a forehand into the net and Gauff jumped towards the net, celebrating her player’s handshake.

“I didn’t serve very well in the last game, so maybe I’ll try again,” she joked.

A year ago, Gauff became the youngest winner of the US Open since 17-year-old Serena Williams in 1999.

Evert, an 18-time Grand Slam champion and ESPN analyst, appreciates that Gauff took a mental health break after the Olympics to clear her head ahead of the Open.

“I like that she went home too, for a few days, to recharge, see her family, be a normal girl,” Evert said.

During an ESPN conference call, Evert said she thinks being the flag bearer at the Olympics — and all that came with it — was emotionally meaningful for Gauff.

“When I watched her at the Olympics, leading the parade, leading the entire Olympics, not just the American team, trading pins, getting photographed, meeting all of her idols,” Evert said. “I thought to myself, this girl is not going to be able to play. She’s going to be so exhausted. She’s not going to be able to play. I didn’t expect her to win. She didn’t. I think emotionally it was very draining for her. She’s just a young girl and she wants to have fun.”

Evert added, “I think it’s just a lot. She’s physically desirable. She’s visually desirable. Everyone wants a piece of her.”

It won’t get any easier in the future.

Gauff could face two-time Australian Open champion and No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals and world No. 1 Iga Świątek in the final. Gauff defeated Sabalenka in three sets in the 2023 US Open final.

Sabalenka was the bookmakers’ favorite after beating Świątek in the semifinals of the Cincinnati Open 6-3, 6-3 and then American Jessica Pegula in the final 6-3, 7-5.

“(Sabalenka) is a huge favorite in her section and a favorite to win it all,” ESPN’s Patrick McEnroe said in a text message.

However, if Gauff continues his streak, he could change the course of his season.

“It’s going to be a matter of who’s the freshest, who’s the freshest through seven games and who can hold her own and get the energy she needs,” Evert said. “She can still win.”