“Mentally, I collapsed” – Gauff aiming for stronger resolve in US Open rematch with Navarro
The defending champion faces an all-American clash against Emma Navarro in the fourth round of the US Open, a rematch of their Wimbledon meeting earlier this summer
Coco Gauff, US Open, 2024 © Antoine Couvercelle / Panoramic
Twelve months ago, Coco Gauff regrouped from a bitterly disappointing first-round exit at Wimbledon to put together the finest run of her career.
Following a short break from tennis, the young American returned to action for the North American hard-court swing in devastating style, winning the Citi Open in Washington, before claiming both the Cincinnati Open and her maiden Grand Slam title in New York.
As the dust settled on her stunning achievements across the late summer of 2023, Gauff spoke of using the pain of that defeat at SW19 – to fellow American Sofia Kenin – to fuel her success back on home soil.
This season, Gauff suffered another difficult loss at the grass-court Grand Slam, again to a compatriot, as she went down in straight sets against the ever-surging Emma Navarro.
Unlike last year, however, there has not been a notable bounce-back for the world No 3 post-Wimbledon. After a disappointing showing at the Olympics, Gauff then exited early in both Canada and Cincinnati.
That is, until she arrived at Flushing Meadows to defend her crown. The American women’s No 1 has been in fine form so far at the US Open, dropping just one set to Elina Svitolina en route to the fourth round, where she will have a chance to avenge that Wimbledon defeat earlier this summer when she faces a last-16 rematch with Navarro.
“With Emma, I feel like that match at Wimbledon I think I mentally just literally collapsed on the court,” Gauff revealed in her post-match press conference after defeating Svitolina in the third round.
“I was very frustrated, and she played well. That was, I think to me, the best tennis she played, like that tournament. Obviously, I didn’t see her first round, but I watched a little bit her second and third. I think that was like the best she played that week.”
gauff and navarro better acquainted after this summer’s olympics
The pair have split their previous two meetings, with Gauff winning their only hard-court encounter in Auckland at the beginning of the year.
At Wimbledon, Gauff struggled to contain Navarro’s instinct to step inside the baseline and fluster her opponents with consistent depth and power. She targeted Gauff’s weaker forehand side, an area of the American’s game still temperamental enough to malfunction under targeted pressure.
One major dynamic that has shifted since their last on-court meeting, however, is that the two women got to know each other much better, having shared accommodation when representing the USA at this summer’s Olympics.
Whether or not this will help or hinder either player remains to be seen, but it will be intriguing to see whether Gauff can bring a more informed understanding of her opponent’s game into their fourth-round clash at the US Open.
“I didn’t see her first round, but I watched a little bit her second and third. I think that was like the best she played that week,” Gauff continued.
“Yeah, so I think going into this match, I have to expect her to play her best tennis, and I just need to know that I need to bring it and mentally be there from the beginning to the end.
“Because she’s going to be a tough opponent.”
high stakes for both in us open fourth-round rematch
Navarro and Gauff are second up on Arthur Ashe Stadium on the tournament’s middle Sunday. The outcome of this match could have a defining impact on the narrative of this year’s US Open, and the stakes are high.
Should Gauff emerge victorious, it will be a vindication of her status as America’s leading WTA player, rendering the loss at Wimbledon more of an upset than an indicator of Navarro closing the gap on her compatriot.
The Atlantan native is the youngest player to win 10 consecutive matches at the US Open since Serena Williams, who won 11 in a row between 1999 and 2000. Should she come through the next round, Gauff will equal that record.
The winner on Sunday will also carry the flag forward for the US in the bottom half of the women’s draw, with Jessica Pegula – the only other remaining American woman – inhabiting the top half.
Navarro is aiming to reach her first quarter-final at Flushing Meadows, while Gauff is looking to become the first woman to successfully defend the US Open title since Williams in 2014.
Whether the New York crowd will have a new favourite to cheer into the latter stages of the tournament, or Gauff underlines her credentials as the Queen of Queen’s, this eye-catching match-up is the highlight of the last 16 – and it will be one to savour.
