Coco Gauff’s Stunning US Open Triumph: Match Highlights, Records Broken & What It Means for Tennis

Coco Gauff survived a roller-coaster opener at the 2025 US Open on Tuesday night, grinding past Australia’s Ajla Tomljanović 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5 after nearly three hours under the lights in New York. The American third seed blasted 34 winners but also committed 10 double faults—numbers that highlighted both the firepower and fragility of a serve she has been desperately trying to remodel ahead of the season’s final major. New service motion, new voice • Days before arriving in Flushing Meadows, the 21-year-old fired coach Matt Daly and recruited biomechanics guru Gavin MacMillan, the specialist credited with curing Aryna Sabalenka’s yips in 2023. • MacMillan has shortened Gauff’s ball toss and encouraged a higher left elbow at take-back, tweaks designed to keep her shoulders more level through contact. • Early returns were mixed: Gauff was broken six times but held her nerve at 6-5 in the decider, ripping a 118 mph body serve to close out the match and unleash a guttural roar that electrified Arthur Ashe Stadium. Path to No. 1 in play With reigning No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka defending last year’s champion’s points, Gauff can rise to the top ranking by reaching the final—an achievement that would make her the first American woman to lead the WTA since Serena Williams in 2017. The draw, however, is treacherous: potential clashes with Naomi Osaka in week one and Iga Świątek in the semifinals loom large. Why the serve matters • Gauff has racked up a tour-leading 750 double faults since the start of 2024, often derailing otherwise dominant baseline performances. • Hard-court titles in Dubai and Miami showed she can win despite the hitch, but a 16-double-fault meltdown in Cincinnati against Jasmine Paolini convinced her camp drastic action was overdue. • ESPN analyst Chris Evert noted the motion now looks “more in unison,” yet warned the Floridian “still has to build trust under scoreboard pressure.” Mental toll and ‘exhaustion’ In post-match press, Gauff admitted that trying to rebuild mechanics mid-season has been “mentally exhausting,” but insisted the discomfort is worth it if it pays off during the business end of the Slam. “I didn’t want to wait until the off-season,” she said. “If I want to be No. 1 and compete for the biggest titles, I have to fix this now.” What’s next Gauff faces Dutch counter-puncher Suzan Lamens in round two, a matchup that should give her room to continue experimenting with placement and pace. Fans will watch radar guns as closely as the scoreboard: a dip in double-fault count would signal the reboot is working, while another shaky outing could reopen old scars. Key takeaways for fans and bettors 1. If Gauff’s serve holds, her elite movement and heavy topspin forehand make her the tournament’s most complete hard-court player. 2. Early serving woes could create live-betting value on overs or upset alerts in the second week. 3. A deep run puts both the world No. 1 ranking and year-end WTA Finals top seed squarely in play. Bottom line Coco Gauff’s title hopes—and perhaps her bid to usher in a new era of American women’s tennis dominance—hinge on a serve that remains a work in progress. Tuesday’s nail-biter delivered enough flashes of improvement to keep the dream alive, but the coming rounds will reveal whether the MacMillan makeover is quick-fix magic or a long-term project destined for growing pains.