Defending champion Coco Gauff roars past Tatjana Maria into US Open third round

Defending champion Coco Gauff overcame early mistakes to defeat unseeded German Tatjana Maria 6-4 6-0 in the second round of the U.S. Open on Wednesday. Gauff rallied from an error-laden first set to claim a decisive victory in the second set with a commanding performance.

Gauff, who had previously beaten Maria in Auckland last year, struggled initially but managed to turn the match around. Despite her strong start, breaking Maria in the opening game, she soon found herself making several clumsy errors, leading to a break point for Maria.

The third seed had a challenging run-up to the U.S. Open, with early exits in both Toronto and Cincinnati, and her frustration was evident. She committed 20 unforced errors and seven double faults in the first set. However, she regained her composure, breaking Maria from the baseline in the seventh game and recovering from a 15-40 deficit in the 10th game.

Maria contributed to her own downfall with a double fault in the first game of the second set. Gauff capitalized on this error, quickly advancing to a 3-0 lead.
Gauff’s performance significantly improved as the match progressed. “I held on to the blueprint,” Gauff remarked.

Maria could not keep up with Gauff’s heightened level of play in the second set. The American closed out the match with a backhand winner, displaying the form that saw her crowned champion last year.

Sweeping through the set, Gauff’s confidence and accuracy surged, resulting in her victory. She leaves the court with her winning ways intact, ready to advance to the next round.