*Flushing, New York – “New Yoooork, concrete jungle where dreams are made of … there’s nothing you can’t do!” Alicia Keys and Jay-Z said a mouthful there, effectively capturing the vibe of the field of 2024 US Open entrants looking to hoist the big trophy. Among them, Coco Gauff.
Coco beat the odds and achieved her dream this time last year. She took down frontrunner and ball-striking-goliath, Aryna Sabalenka to become the 2023 US Open champion. She was then-fueled by a summer surge where she won DC and Cincinnati. That gave her the confidence and belief that she could punctuate the season with the big win. She became the face of women’s tennis by doing just that.
But this 2024 season has been different.
Coco has been struggling lately
Coco and team pulled to the Billie Jean King tennis center this year on the struggle bus with tinted windows. She didn’t win any lead up tournaments and she likely has a head full of doubt and uncertainty. In fact, she’s been bowing out in early rounds of the lead ups she played. And though she’s downplaying defending her title in the press, saying, “I have really nothing to lose, I’m 20 years old, I already have one under my belt, and I have the potential to do more, whether it happens this year or in the future …” as defending champion, she has a ton of points to defend, flagging confidence to build and a stadium full of hometown fans to satisfy. And the backlash of disappointed fans in these internet streets can be brutal. Just ask French tennis player, Caroline Garcia, who was told to “go kill herself” on twitter when she bowed out earlier this week to a lower ranked player. We hope it doesn’t come to that but …
Can Coco Gauff pull off the repeat?
The good news is the path to repeat isn’t as complicated as it could be. Her poor performance this season caused her to lose her no. 2 ranking, dropping to no. 3, the significance being she could’ve ended up on the same side of the draw as WTA no. 1 and her kryptonite, Iga Swiatek. She’s played the Pole 12 times and she’s won once … once (Cincy 2023). But she avoided that fate and ended up on the opposite side of the draw and can only play Iga in the final. The tennis gods smiled down on her on that tip.
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But can she capitalize on the lucky setup?
So far so good. Coco Gauff has burst out of the blocks strong in view of that, taking down her first and second-round opponents, Varvara Gracheva (RUS) and Tatjana Maria (GER), by serving both piping hot second-set bagels (6-2, 6-0 and 6-4, 6-0 respectively). So, she at least has the early momentum that – coupled with her defending champion muscle memory – could take her at least back to the final. We’ll keep hope alive!
Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton are hungry for a Slam Title
And speaking of bursting out of the blocks strong, our two hopefuls on the men’s side, Ben Shelton and Francis Tiafoe, have done just that.
Shelton and Frances, both hungry to break through and known for their big games and equally big personalities, have notched decisive wins in dispatching their first and second-round opponents in what felt like the hottest most hellish heat of Hell’s Kitchen in 90-plus temps. Ben Shelton mowed down both former champion Dominic Thiem (AUS) – retiring him earlier than he probably would’ve liked – and steely veteran, Roberto Bautista-Agut (ESP), in straight sets and Tiafoe only dropped one set in dispatching compatriot Aleksandar Kovacevic and Alexander Shevchenko (KAZ) – who threw in the towel in the third set due to heat exhaustion.
Their performances thus far make them both part of the conversation for possibly ending American men’s US Open champion draught, especially given Tiafoe just made the Cincinnati final in the lead-up. That’s the good news.
But there’s bad news … only one of these hometown heroes can go deep in New York.
As the draw would have it, Big Foe and Shelton are slated to meet up in the third round, setting up a blockbuster rematch of their 2023 US Open clash. Last year, Tiafoe was ranked higher and had all the momentum on his side going in, but he froze during the match and got sent packing in straight sets by his friend and then-up-and-comer, Shelton. Me thinks Tiafoe will be looking for revenge this time around and will put up the fight of his career … may the best American win.
Coco facing a stiff third-round challenge
Coco Gauff’s next opponent is Elina Svitolina (KAZ), which will be no walk in Central Park. Svitolina, wife of French tennis showman, Gael Monfils, is a WTA veteran with an all-court power game. She will surely put the Coco to the test. If the world no. 2 isn’t firing on all cylinders – particularly shoring up her shaky-of-late serving game (9 double faults/44% first serves in 2nd round match) – an upset alert is on tap. Their head-to-head is 1 all.
When and how to watch the next round of action
Who’s concrete jungle dreams will come through this fortnight? Stay up with USOpen.org to find out.
Coco Gauff vs Elena Svitolina and Ben Shelton vs Frances Tiafoe are set to air this Friday on ESPN. Check your local listings.
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