By Karl Plume
(Reuters) – World number three Coco Gauff is hoping a trip home for a mental reset will help her bounce back from a string of disappointing results as she prepares to defend her U.S. Open crown.
From a fourth-round exit at Wimbledon, where she shouted at her coach as her game crumbled, to an early-round exit in the Paris Olympics singles tournament, where she argued with officials, Gauff seemed to have lost the dominant swagger that had some comparing her not long ago to a young Serena Williams.
The highs of carrying the U.S. flag at the Paris opening ceremony and trading Olympic pins with her sporting idols quickly evaporated on the clay at Roland Garros.
Another abbreviated, error-filled run at the Cincinnati Open last week left the 20-year-old American reeling in the lead-up to her first career Grand Slam title defence.
Gauff made 50 unforced errors in that match against Yulia Putintseva, including nine double faults, as her 34th-ranked opponent exploited Gauff’s forehand and dispatched the champion.
“I feel like I have to work on consistency, overall,” Gauff said, adding that she would go home to reset before hitting the hard-court at Flushing Meadows.
Gauff now hopes athleticism and a big serve on her favourite playing surface will help her reclaim the dominance that lifted the American as high as world number two earlier this year.
With no dominant force like Serena Williams currently mowing through the women’s draws, the odds are strong on Gauff becoming the first repeat U.S. Open champion since her idol Serena won three straight a decade ago.
A gruelling 2024 tennis schedule featuring the emotional challenge of competing in a Paris Games played at times in sweltering heat has worn down the women’s field and left the tournament wide open to any player that hits a hot streak.
“I do think that everyone’s getting a little tired and it’s been a long year,” said six-times U.S. Open champion and ESPN tennis analyst Chris Evert.
“It’s going to be who’s the freshest for seven matches and who can hold on and get the energy they need,” she said.
“Do I think (Gauff) can turn it around? One hundred percent I think she can.”
(Reporting by Karl Plume in Chicago; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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