By Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, August 30, 2025
Photo credit: Jon Buckle/ROLEX
NEW YORK—Tears and fears haunted Coco Gauff on Arthur Ashe Stadium Thursday night.
Today, Gauff plugged into positivity delivering elation and domination to the US Open third round.
Gauff charged through nine of the last 10 games dismissing Magdalena Frech, 6-1, 6-3 to race into the US Open fourth round for the fourth consecutive year.
“I thought today I played well,” Gauff said. “It was tough playing two night matches. Having to play in the shade on that side [today], it was kind of hard to see the ball, but overall I’m very happy with how I played and to be through to the next round.”
Of course, in every Gauff match her serve is under the microscope.
Ten days ago, Gauff axed former coach Matt Daly and hired Aryna Sabalenka’s former biomechanical coach Gavin MacMillan, who helped world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka fix her wayward serve.
The top-seeded Sabalenka has credited MacMillan with showing her video of flaws in her serve and helping her correct them to the more streamlined motion that has helped her rise to world No. 1 and reach four of the last seven major finals.
The 2023 US Open champion Gauff’s serving woes hit a nadir in Montreal this month where Gauff coughed up 43 double faults in three matches en route to the quarterfinals.
Today, Gauff registered her best serving day since bringing MacMillan on board.
The third-seeded Gauff took some pace off the first serve and aimed for bigger targets, often jamming up Frech with body serves right into the hip. Gauff served 76 percent, won 25 of 35 first-serve points and face only two break points in a clean 73-minute triumph.
Gauff surged to a 3-0 lead then double-faulted back the break in the fifth game, one of four doubles she hit today. French exploited the American’s third error to level at 3-all.
Then Gauff shifted into a higher gear. Working the ball corner to corner and sometimes stepping in to smack her trademark two-hander, Gauff overpowered the Pole converting her third break point to break again for 5-3.
On her second set point, Gauff pounded away at the Frech forehand drawing an errant shot on the 16th stroke to snatch a one-set lead after 42 minutes.
Contrary to the emotional stress she showed Thursday night when Gauff shed tears after taking the first set of a 7-6(5), 6-2 win over Donna Vekic, the Delray Beach baseliner was both more relaxed and player more proactive tennis today.
Gauff won 10 of 11 trips to net in this third-rounder. The weight of Gauff’s groundstrokes and her speed around the court proved oppressive in the second set.
The 2023 US Open champion won 14 of 16 points in one stretch, scoring a pair of love breaks, as she stormed out to a 4-1 lead. On her second match point, Gauff closed it on a Frech error, improving to 16-2 lifetime in Grand Slam third-round matches.
Next up for Gauff will be a tough test against either new Australian Daria Kasatkina, who is 3-0 lifetime vs. the third-seeded American, or four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka.
A day after American seeds Ben Shelton, Frances Tiafoe and Emma Navarro all suffered painful defeats, Gauff was all smiles joining 2024 finalist and former doubles partner Jessica Pegula and world No. 1 Taylor Townsend in the round of 16 with Amanda Anisimova still standing as well.
