Coco Gauff Shocks the US Open: Highlights, Record-Breaking Stats & What’s Next for Tennis’s New Superstar

Flushing Meadows, New York — Coco Gauff kept her title hopes at the 2025 US Open alive on Thursday night, shaking off early serving woes and an emotional mid-match meltdown to defeat Croatia’s Donna Vekić 7-6 (5), 6-2 in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The two-time Grand Slam champion, seeded No. 3, racked up eight double faults in the first set and briefly broke down in tears during a changeover, yet steadied her revamped motion to deliver a flawless second set that featured just one double fault and zero breaks of serve. Gauff entered the tournament leading the WTA Tour with more than 300 double faults this season, a statistic that prompted her to hire biomechanical specialist Gavin MacMillan—credited with rebuilding Aryna Sabalenka’s serve—only days before the event. The accelerated overhaul left her shoulder sore and her nerves frayed, but the 21-year-old Floridian said post-match that “resetting through the pressure” proved decisive. The crowd’s roar was amplified by the presence of four-time Olympic gold-medalist Simone Biles, whose courtside support offered an extra jolt of inspiration. “If she can perform on a six-inch beam with the whole world watching, I can hit a tennis ball,” Gauff told reporters, crediting Biles for helping her regain composure in the pivotal tiebreak. Gauff’s baseline consistency ultimately overwhelmed Vekić, who herself tallied 10 double faults and required a medical timeout for a sore right shoulder. The American’s defensive court coverage turned the match on its head after she splashed water on her face during the set break, then rattled off four straight games to seize total control. Next up is Poland’s Magdalena Fręch, a counter-puncher who rallied past Peyton Stearns to reach the third round. A win would likely set up a marquee showdown with No. 15 seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, making Gauff’s improving first-serve percentage—66 percent in set two—a crucial metric to watch for fans and bettors alike. Beyond the immediate draw, Gauff’s victory reinforces her status as one of the sport’s biggest box-office attractions: ticket searches for her sessions spiked 42 percent overnight, and social-media engagement around #CocoGauff surged into seven-figure territory. With defending champion Iga Świątek lurking in the opposite half of the bracket, New York appears headed for another star-studded conclusion—and Gauff, shoulder aches and all, remains very much in the conversation.