Coco Gauff, at 19 years of age, is a tennis phenomenon. After rising to prominence with a win over Venus Williams in the 2019 Wimbledon, the 5ft 9in gal from Atlanta, Georgia, has steadily risen up the rankings by winning five WTA Tour titles, including the 2023 Cincinnati Open.
Currently, she is competing in the US Open, where she has faced tough challenges from Laura Siegemund and Mirra Andreeva in the first two rounds. Against Siegmund, she played intense tennis in a controversial match that lasted 3 hours, and against Andreeva, she was ruthless and efficient in dismantling her teenage opponent’s game plan. She looked to carry on her hard-court form in her third-round clash against Belgian Elise Mertens.
Coco Gauff defeats Elise Mertens
Elise Mertens had faced Coco Gauff twice in the past, losing to the teenage sensation both times. She was determined to cause an upset as she had saved match points in both of her previous victories.
Gauff was sailing smoothly in the first set before capitulating with a double fault to hand Mertens the break. The 32nd-seeded Belgian seized the opportunity with glee and closed the first set with a second break.
“She’s the type of player who steps in, if you give her something short, especially on the backhand side, she was doing well attacking on that end,” Gauff said. “Even on the forehand, she was being aggressive. I think in the second set, I tried to keep her playing back and off her back foot, also coming in a little bit more so she knew I wasn’t going to stay back every time she was playing defense.”
Coco Gauff upped the ante in the second set, saving five break points in the second game. At 4-3, Gauff faced intense pressure from Merten’s returns and saved a break point yet again before sealing the second set with a break of her own. Momentum was clearly on Gauff’s side for the rest of the match as she won the last 8 games of the contest to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-0, delivering a bagel to Mertens in the process.
Gauff finished the match with 33 winners to 25 unforced errors while Mertens committed 39 unforced errors.
Ahead of this, Coco Gauff is set to face the comeback queen Caroline Wozniacki, who triumphed over American Jennifer Brady 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Coco Gauff explains Justin Bieber’s impact on her US Open triumph
Justin Bieber, who knows all about the trials of being a teenage superstar, was present in the audience to support Coco Gauff. The singer’s presence left Gauff star-struck but also provided her with inspiration and motivation.
Amidst her struggle to counter Elise Mertens’ calculated assault in the first two sets, Gauff was well aware of the star present in the crowd.
“I definitely saw who was there,” Gauff said on the ESPN broadcast after the match. “I thought, ‘I cannot lose in front of Justin Bieber’. I didn’t lose a game after I saw that.”
“I got a little tight when I first saw him, then I remembered President (Barack) Obama and Michelle Obama were at my first-round match.”
Coco Gauff says she couldn’t lose in front of Justin Bieber:
“I was like ‘I can’t lose in front of Justin Bieber!’ I didn’t lose a game after I saw him.” 😂
I know a Belieber when I see one.
(via ESPN) pic.twitter.com/C7jjjMXjIY
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) September 2, 2023
Gauff’s star power has attracted a myriad of celebrities to her matches, from the likes of Miami Heat six-time NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler to actress Katie Holmes. Gauff said she was honoured by the presence of such high-profile personalities in the stands.
“I was definitely star-struck with Justin. ‘Never Say Never’ was like the first, I think one of my favourite songs when I was a kid. Then ‘Baby, Oh, Baby’. I could go through all his songs.”, Gauff gushed.
When asked who she would like to witness cheering her on during her matches and applauding her victories, Gauff mentioned Beyoncé as one of her favourite singers. “If she ever came, oh my goodness, I hope they wouldn’t show her on the screen. Maybe at the end.”
Coco Gauff’s rise to stardom has attracted the presence of many icons from different fields of life to her matches. From Jimmy Butler to Justin Bieber, Gauff is finding inspiration from all corners of life. Do you think she can defeat former world no.1 Caroline Wozniacki in her fourth-round match and win her first-ever grand slam title? Let us know in the comments section below.
