Coco Gauff delivered a gritty and resilient performance at the Cincinnati Open, battling through persistent serving troubles to defeat Xinyu Wang 6–3, 6–2 and set up a compelling rematch with Dayana Yastremska.
The match began in fraught fashion for Gauff. Her serve, which has been a recurring issue in recent tournaments, betrayed her early—delivering eight double faults in the first set alone, almost one for every service game. Despite this, she showed remarkable composure. After quickly escaping break point trouble, she responded emphatically with a break of her own to go 2–0 ahead. The opening set unfolded into a tense exchange of breaks, but Gauff’s persistence saw her secure it at 6–3, even though her first-serve percentage lingered below 60 percent and she won merely 28 percent of her second-serve points.
Yet the transformation in the second set was striking. Gauff found a stronger rhythm, holding tight and mounting pressure until she seized the initiative with a break to lead 3–1. From there, she looked in complete control—storming through a stretch of ten consecutive service points—and never letting Wang regroup. Her improved consistency and sharper execution paid dividends as she wrapped up the set 6–2 in just over an hour.
“I had a shaky start with the serve,” Gauff admitted—clearly referencing her double faults—“but I was able to push through and figure that out. Just taking my time and remembering the things we worked on in practice and trying not to fall into the same old patterns.”
Her resolve paid off: she converted every one of her five break-point opportunities and dominated the closing stages, winning 20 of the final 23 service points. This victory earned her a spot in the third round, where she’ll meet Ukrainian 32nd seed Dayana Yastremska.
This upcoming clash carries more than just ranking implications. Yastremska handed Gauff a stunning first-round defeat at Wimbledon just weeks earlier, ending Gauff’s run shortly after her triumphant French Open campaign. The Ukrainian’s straight-sets upset was resounding and unexpected—especially given Gauff’s rise to No. 2 in the world and recent success. Now, on hard court and with tennis stopwatch ticking, Gauff plans to exact payback.
Historical head-to-head stats tilt heavily in Gauff’s favor—she holds a 3–1 lead from previous meetings, including wins at both the French Open and Madrid Open. But tennis is rarely just about numbers. Gauff’s ability to recalibrate mid-match, especially her serving under pressure, may prove decisive. Her second-set renaissance against Wang demonstrated a growing mental toughness that could be critical against a player who stunned her not long ago.
As the draw narrows, making adjustments on serve could unlock the next level for Gauff—particularly in this stretch of high-stakes, fast-paced hard-court battles leading up to the U.S. Open. Winning this one won’t just be about revenge—it will be a statement of her adaptability, resilience, and rise as one of the game’s most formidable fighters.
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