Gauff rues poor service game as US Open title defense ends

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ALL GOOD. Americans Coco Gauff and Emma Navarro embrace after their round of 16 match in the US Open.

Defending champion Coco Gauff becomes the latest big-name casualty to exit the US Open as Emma Navarro stuns her American compatriot in the round of 16

NEW YORK, USA – Coco Gauff said she had regrets over her poor service game after recording 19 double faults in the US Open fourth-round loss to Emma Navarro, even though she was mentally prepared to face her American compatriot who beat her at Wimbledon.

Gauff became the latest big-name casualty to exit as Navarro stunned her American compatriot, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, on Sunday, September 1, to beat her at a Grand Slam for the second time this year.

“I fought really hard today. Overall I think I played well for the most part. I just didn’t take care of my serve, so that was the biggest difference. Too many free points on my serve,” Gauff told reporters after seeing her title defense come to an end.

“Mentally and emotionally I gave it my all. Of course, there were things execution-wise, where I wish I could serve better. I think if I would have did that, it would have been a different story for me in the match.”

While Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz admitted they had run out of steam after the Paris Olympics, leading to early exits at Flushing Meadows, Gauff said that was not the case as she was excited to compete in New York.

“I felt like physically and mentally ready, but for sure I think in Toronto and Cincy (Cincinnati) it was a little bit mentally draining, those tournaments having to switch surfaces (from claycourt to hard),” Gauff said.

“But coming into this, I didn’t feel any exhaustion. I was actually really excited to play… Even today I felt ready to go on court.”

SOLID. Emma Navarro reacts during her US Open match against Coco Gauff.

Gauff had been looking to avenge her defeat to Navarro at Wimbledon, where she lost in the fourth round, but the 13th seed stunned the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium with an aggressive and dominant all-round display.

The 20-year-old Gauff was her own worst enemy, however, especially on serve where she had 19 double faults — as many as she had in her first three matches combined — while she also made 60 unforced errors.

“But Emma played really well… She was really aggressive on my second serve, putting more pressure on my serve and being solid from the baseline,” said Gauff.

The third seed said she needed to find more consistency on her delivery and was open to the idea of bringing in a specialist coach to work on her serve.

“I think it’s sometimes more of an emotional, mental thing because if I go out on the practice court right now, I’d make, like, 30 serves in a row. I’ve done it before,” Gauff said.

“I think it’s also just a mental hurdle that I have to get over when it comes with that.

“But I definitely want to look at other things because I don’t want to lose matches like this anymore.”

Navarro’s victory moved her into a second Grand Slam quarterfinal where she will play Spain’s 26th seed Paula Badosa, while defeat for Gauff will see her drop out of the top five in the world rankings.

Navarro was stunned to reach the last eight after falling at the first hurdle in previous years.

“I lost in the first round [in the] last two years, and now to be making quarterfinals is pretty insane,” she added. “This is the city I was born in and it feels so special to be playing here.

“Coco’s an amazing player and I have a ton of respect for her. I know she’s going to come back here and win this thing again one year.”

Poor start

Gauff started poorly, serving three double faults in her opening service game as a hush descended on the crowd before she recovered, saving four break points to level the first set at 1-1.

From then on it was mainly the self-assured Navarro dictating rallies with poise while Gauff made errors playing on the defensive, handing her fellow American a 4-2 lead when she double-faulted yet again, this time on break point.

Gauff let out a triumphant scream when she saved a set point on serve but Navarro was almost unstoppable on her own serve, taking it to love to seal the opening set.

The second set went with serve but while Navarro was well in control, Gauff was struggling and Navarro duly broke at 3-3 with a passing shot after a mad scramble to the net.

That was just the wake-up call Gauff needed as the holder suddenly switched gears and broke twice to win three games in a row and force a decider.

Gauff’s celebratory roar whipped the crowd into a frenzy but their enthusiasm quickly faded and turned into groans of disappointment when she served two consecutive double faults to give Navarro a break.

Gauff nearly threw it away at 4-2 with four double faults in one game. Two more double faults while serving to stay in the match proved to be her undoing as Navarro sealed her progress when the champion’s return on match point went long.

“It was tough losing the second set,” Navarro said. “I had chances. I was up 30-love at 4-3 and then had a little bit of a lull there.

“But I was able to regroup after the second set and just come into the third set with a fresh mindset. I wanted to play aggressive tennis and I think I was able to do that.” – Rappler.com

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