The last time Coco Gauff made it to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, the young American won the whole dang thing.
Gauff still has yet to drop a set as she secured her place among the final eight women’s singles players in Flushing on Monday night after bouncing compatriot Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-4 inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
After failing to make it out of the fourth round in each of her last two U.S. Open appearances, Gauff will face the No. 5 seed Mirra Andreeva next.
“I think I just welcome it,” Gauff said of playing a match with the magnitude of the U.S. Open quarterfinal. “A quarterfinal for me, I feel like I’m at the point where I’m used to being in this position. I’m constantly putting myself in quarterfinals, so the moment doesn’t seem as big anymore. I’m very lucky to play, be here in the quarterfinal. Obviously, I hope to play many more, so I think it’s the fine line of appreciating the moment.
“I think so many people would love to reach a Grand Slam quarterfinal, but also knowing that I put myself in this position so many times that I should almost be used to it.”
The 22-year-old Gauff is now the youngest American woman to make three Major major quarterfinals in one year since Serena Williams in 2003.
And since 2000, only two players have reached more Grand Slam quarterfinals than Gauff (tied with Kim Clijsters at 12) before the age of 23: Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova.
It’s exactly what’s been expected of Gauff since she hoisted her first Grand Slam trophy in Queens three years ago.
Besting her fellow American in 1 hour, 33 minutes, Gauff extended her winning streak on the WTA Tour to 10 matches and picked up her 19th consecutive set.
The last time she dropped a set was in the second round in Cincinnati, where she won just before heading to New York for her home slam.
Despite being broken in the opening game, Gauff broke Jovic right back and went on a six-game tear to take the first set in just under 35 minutes. The world No. 4 landed a staggering 90 percent of her returns through the first set.
The second set proved much more competitive, with Jovic staving off multiple break points in back-to-back service games early on to keep pace. Tied at 2-2 in the set and 30-30 in the fifth game, a 23-shot rally concluded with a riveting battle at the net in Gauff’s favor.
Gauff twirled in celebration, put her hand up to the crowd and then to her ear.
Jovic responded to force deuce, but Gauff ultimately broke her serve for a 3-2 lead in the second set.
“I think just my nervous system and knowing that even when the pressure is there, I’m able to rely on a lot of different things to win points in many different ways,” Gauff said of her current confidence. “I think that gives me confidence knowing that I have probably up to this point, like, a plan D. I think there’s comfortability in having options. If plan A doesn’t work, there’s B, there’s C, and there’s D. I think that’s something that makes me comfortable. Just knowing that if all of those don’t work, then I have to go back on the practice court, and I can leave the court with my head held high.
“I think the biggest difference I’ve been playing is just trying to play with no regrets, and I think I have a lot more fun and success playing like this.”
