Coco Gauff was solely two months in the past embarrassingly bounced from Wimbledon within the first spherical.
Today? Gauff’s in high kind. She received the tuneup event in Cincinnati lower than two weeks in the past, toppling No. 1 Iga Swiatek within the ultimate. At Flushing this 12 months, she’s the most effective hope for the primary American champion — males or ladies — since Sloane Stephens in 2017.
The adjustment, Gauff mentioned, was strictly psychological. And it was impressed by considered one of her loyal followers, NBA star Jimmy Butler, who watched from courtside Wednesday as Gauff trounced Mirra Andreeva within the second spherical, 6-3, 6-2.
“That switch I had in the last couple weeks. people think some incredible thing happened,” the sixth-seeded Gauff mentioned. “But realistically, the two weeks between Wimbledon and the next tournament I played, nothing could have really changed that much. It was really just the mental thing. I think that’s what I learned from watching Jimmy compete over the years.”
As a South Florida resident, Gauff may be very accustomed to Butler’s resilience and drive — particularly when it issues most. She adopted it by two Miami Heat appearances within the Finals within the final 4 seasons, with a lot of the workforce’s success solid from Butler’s dogged willpower.
Gauff, nonetheless solely 19, is hardly the identical underdog as Butler, who was the final choose of the primary spherical in 2011. But she’s additionally nonetheless ready for the main championship to validate the hype that accompanied her rise as a 15-year-old prodigy.
To that finish, Wednesday was actually encouraging. Gauff received the ultimate 10 factors and wanted solely 76 minutes to dump Andreeva, a 16-year-old upstart from Russia who was overmatched from the opening serve.
“I’m happy I was able to get it in straight sets,” Gauff mentioned. “Not a long match like the three hours last match. Saved myself some time today.”
Indeed, Wednesday was so much simpler, so much much less eventful, than Gauff’s outing two days earlier on the identical Ashe court docket.
In her first-round victory, Gauff dropped the primary set to veteran Laura Siegemund earlier than grinding out an emotional victory. It lasted over three hours and Gauff complained, angrily and assertively, about Siegemund stalling.
Wednesday, by comparability, was a stroll in Corona Park. Butler watched approvingly.
“I want her to win every single time,” he mentioned.
Next up for Gauff is a third-round matchup towards No. 32 Elise Mertens, the Cardiac Belgian of the U.S. Open. Mertens survived a mixed 5 match factors in her opening two rounds, together with Wednesday’s 3-6, 7-6 (7), 6-1 comeback over Danielle Collins of the U.S.
Mertens understands she’ll be taking part in towards the wishes of the New York crowd, which has been firmly in Gauff’s nook. Butler included.
“She’s definitely on a roll. She’s definitely one of the toughest to play against, I guess,” Mertens mentioned. “But I’m going to give everything I have. I’m going to watch some of her past matches as well and try to play on my terms.”
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com