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September 5, 2023,
Can she really only be nineteen?
She seems more mature than that.
As a player, she seems far more mature than that.
There is this feeling that Coco Gauff has arrived. As fans, we can feel it.
Though the expectations for her have always been high, her tennis play, especially at the majors, on hard courts, didn’t match the hype.
In the second round, on September 1, 2021, on Arthur Ashe stadium, she was ranked number 21, but fell to the 2017 US Open Champion, Sloane Stephens, who was not ranked, in two sets.
On January 25, 2020, in the fourth round of the Australian Open, in an American showdown, she lost to a then red hot Sofia Kenin 7-6, 3-6 and then collapsing in the 3rd set, 0-6.
Her troubles against Sofia continued.
As reported by Forbes Magazine on July 3, 2023, “There will be no deep run for Coco Gauff at Wimbledon. The No. 7 seed was upset by fellow American Sofia Kenin 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 in the first round on Monday.”
So, when Coco Gauff entered the 2023 US Open, though the expectations were extremely high, we wondered if things would be different.
One thing that has changed was that the legendary Zen Master, Brad Gilbert, was now her coach. Mr. Gilbert is known for doing wonders to change the fortunes, in the right direction, for many previous top players.
Thus far, he appears to be doing it for Coco as well. Her fourth round matchup against another legend, in Caroline Wozniacki, who publicly stated she felt that she could this year’s US Open, was going to be a major test.
In Caroline’s first three matches, she looked sensational, even stronger than the Caroline we remembered who retired 3-1/2 years ago.
This time around would things be different for Coco? The commentators were constantly saying they felt she had a chance to go all the way.
It is time to find out. Let’s go courtside for a semi-blow by blow accounting.
SET ONE
Game 1. Long game, Coco dumps first important shot into the net. Dumps 3rd point into the next. Hits two balls out.
One thing with the Danish legend is very clear. Caroline is not going to beat herself.
- Coco’s 2nd shot goes down the line. Power and placement. Hitting great shots. Caroline volleys up high and she puts it away. Coco had a break point. She needs to hit winners early. The longer the rally, the more it favors Caroline.
Tension is absolutely in the air. Caroline is making more unforced errors than usual. She is hitting harder than we remember. Hits a winner to end the game.
2-0 for Caroline.
- Coco gets off to good start. Second serve is an ace. Brad Gilbert wants Coco to hit more loopers to test Caroline’s fitness. Coco hits well. Caroline hits the last one out.
2-1 for Caroline.
- Coco is hitting better. Two break points. Starting to out hit Caroline.
2-2
- Coco appears to warming up. Caroline appears to be feeling the pressure of the hard hitting pace and is starting to hit the ball harder than usual. Higher risk. More balls being hit out. Coco wins 4 points in a row and takes the lead.
3-2 for Coco.
- Back and forth. Coco is hitting harder, Caroline is playing well. Comes into the net and puts one away.
3-3
- Coco starts with an ace out wide right. Ups her power. Hits a blasting forehand down the line. 30-0. Hits a drop shot. Caroline runs in and hits it out. Caroline’s outfit is drenched in sweat. The Danish star runs marathons. At 33, Team Gilbert wants to test her fitness.
4-3 for Coco.
- Caroline serving. Down love 30.
5-3 for Coco.
Caroline doesn’t beat herself but she is starting to hit the ball out and even appears a little winded. Coco has a set point but makes a couple of errors to let Caroline back in the door.
Finally, the American heir apparent raises the level of her game with some great serving and finishes Caroline off.
6-3 for Coco.
SECOND SET
Caroline serving.
- Hitting more to Coco’s forehand, her weaker shot. They both trade blows. Coco tries a drop shot and Caroline races to get to it.
1-0 for Caroline.
- Caroline’s shots are getting better. They better if she wants to even this up. Moving Coco around the court, side to side. Caroline runs and gets another drop shot. Crowd applauds. They are hitting one another side to side. Caroline finally dumps one into the net. Hits one out.
1-1.
- Great back and forth, side to side hitting. It was a mighty struggle for Caroline to hold serve but she out wills Coco in this game.
2-1 for Caroline.
- Things are tightening up. Coco down 0-30. Caroline hits a break point into the net. They are both going for big shots. Coco hits an ace down the T to hold off a break point. Both hitting deep before Caroline finally hits it out.
2-2
- Caroline hits deep then sneaks into the net, 15-0. Caroline has a tough hold as Coco is just not patient enough. Hits ball outside of line.
3-2 for Caroline
- Caroline gets off to a good start. Is trying to punish Coco’s fore hand, well-known to be Coco’s Achilles heel. Coco steadies herself.
3-3
- Caroline is just starting to out hit Coco, winning and giving up only one point.
4-3 for Caroline.
She is also pressing Coco’s service game, continuing to get break points. Let’s see if she can do it here.
- Coco’s game has gone off the rails. She double faults and dumps balls into the net. Caroline wins handily.
6-3
THIRD SET
Caroline breaks the first serve. Coco is starting to hit balls into the net. Brad is talking a lot.
1-0 to Caroline.
- Coco seems to be getting determined. Plays much better. Hits some great shots.
1-1
- Coco is starting to come into the net. Caroline asks to turn the lights on. 5pm? Blue sky?
Coco hits a blistering 116 mph serve. She finally is turning things around. Hitting hard and coming to net.
2-1 for Coco.
Apparently Brad’s talking is too much. They don’t say his name but we sense we know.
Now the issue is the lights. Caroline says she can’t see. Break point for Coco. The young American hits to Caroline’s backhand and comes in. Caroline dumps it into the net.
Crowd chants let’s go Coco.
3-1 for Coco.
On cue, Coco starts hitting balls into the net.
The lights just got turned on.
Coco dumps a serve into the net. Break point.
Coco hits to back hand and comes in. Caroline misses.
Coco waves to the crowd. Come on. She plays much better.
Leads 4-1.
Coco comes into the net. Puts it away.
Finally Coco is counter punching.
5-1.
Chris Evert says Coco told her team to be quiet and started playing better. We agree. So does the score.
6-1 is the final in the third.
Coco overcomes her team’s chatter and her forehand mistakes to claim her prize.
One thing is for certain. This is the new Coco Gauff. Before, in hard court majors, we saw her collapse. Not now. Twice now, in this tournament, her best tennis was in the third set.
Before we label her, the American heir apparent, as others have, she needs to win this 2023 US Open. She has some major road blocks in her way. This is the fourth round. In the quarters she will face Jelena Ostapenko, who literally hit the world’s former number one, Iga Swiatek, right off the courts.
Don’t forget, there is still the new world’s number one in the tournament in hard hitting Aryna Sabalenka.
Fellow American Madison Keys hasn’t regained her form since she made it to the 2017 US Open finals, but this year, she is hitting hard and making more than she misses. Jessica Pegula, who seems to have hit a ceiling, found that out the hard way.
This tournament is far from over, but given Coco’s mental toughness, we like her chances.
~ ~ ~
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