The second-year misfortune continued for 16-year-old Coco Gauff, who wore all red but played to pieces.
If anyone could have used the insane support of the Flushing crowd on Monday in these two hours, it was Gauff, who retaliated against 31st seeded Anastasija Sevastova to force a third set.
But serving to stay in the game at 5-4 in the third, Gauff doubled the first point, his Achilles heel. Then, despite having rejected three match points in that match, Sevastova wore Gauff to the ground and electric Boca Raton, Florida beat an easy chance on the net to lose in silence to Latvian at Armstrong Stadium 6-3, 5 -7, 6-4.
“Losses hurt right now,” Gauff said. “I’m disappointed. Tomorrow I will go back to training and I hope to do my best in doubles.
Gauff was too kind to use the fanless vibe as an excuse.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “I think I compete just as hard with fans or not. I could have played better today.”
It marked the first time Gauff lost in a Grand Slam in Round 1, delving into his recent fights. His second serve has become erratic enough to be worrying. He racked up 13 double fouls in the match. He only won 36 percent of his second-serve points. It looked raw.
Insiders believe it should take a little off its first dynamic serve and get more in the box (61%).
At the age of 15, Gauff took the tennis world by storm with extraordinary athleticism and composure to declare himself as the eventual successor to Serena Williams. She made it to the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2019.
Then in front of a rowdy crowd – which isn’t there now – she made it to the third round of the 2019 US Open before losing to Naomi Osaka in a fierce battle.
Though she made the fourth round of the Australian Open in January, Gauff has experienced a speed boost since returning from the pandemic and her loss hurts an Open that already lacks six of the top 10 female players.
Gauff lost in the early rounds in Kentucky tuning two weeks ago, then again last week at the Western & Southern Open which was moved from the Cincinnati suburbs to Flushing Meadows.
Whether he admits it or not, the pandemic has logically hurt a player like Gauff more than a veteran, as he is in the midst of a crucial part of his development. He will soon go to Europe for the French Open in late September.
“I think during the break I was able to work on a lot of things that I wouldn’t normally have done,” said Gauff. “I don’t think it hurt me that much. The main part that hurt me was just getting games under my belt, gaining experience. This is what I need on tour. I’m playing against people older than me who have found themselves in more situations, difficult situations than me. I think the most important thing is that I just need experience. ”
The Open draw didn’t do her any favors. Now ranked 51st, Gauff got a tough seed in Sevastova, who did his best on these Flushing fields.
Gauff was one set down and a break in the second at 4-2 before overtaking Sevastova, who is smarter than ferocious with unusual rotation shots. Gauff is by far the best net player and has won some good volleys, putting the Latvian under pressure and forcing the third set.
“I would like to play like this when I was 16,” Sevastova said.
Gauff’s serve improved and she didn’t tackle her first break point of the third set until she was 5-4. He dampened a crux volley after Sevastova barely tracked a drop shot. These are the mistakes of 16 year olds.
“It’s just the beginning,” Gauff said. “I just went on tour a little over a year ago, so I still have a lot to learn and a long way to go.”
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