American tennis player and the 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff is the home favorite to win the grand slam this year as well. Despite having an upset season earlier this year, Gauff is going strong in the last slam and is expected to make it to the final.
The defending champion has grabbed the limelight due to some spectacular points she earned during her 2024 US Open matches. Fighting against all odds, Gauff displayed incredible athleticism and played some unbelievable shots, baffling her opponents and fans.
The most recent of her shocking shots came during her contest against Tatjana Maria in the second round. After serving in the 10th game of the first set, Gauff went close to the net and hit a volley off Maria’s return. But the volley swung beautifully after bouncing on Maria’s side and went towards the chair umpire, where the German couldn’t hit it.
The impossibility of hitting the ball from outside the court helped Gauff earn a point. Thus, she gained an advantage over Maria and eventually scored another point to claim the sixth game and the first set. The shot became so talked about that the US Open especially posted the clip showcasing the masterstroke two days after the game ended.
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Gauff sealed the match against Maria in a straight-set victory to face Elina Svitolina in the third round on Friday. The defending champion got the better of the Ukrainian by bouncing in the last two sets after losing the first one initially. However, the highlight of the match was a nail-biting 37-shot rally.
The rally started Gauff’s serve in the second game of the third set and forced both players to move around the court to ensure no one dropped the ball. However, it ended in the American’s favor, who forced Svitolina to the edge of the court, causing her to hit the ball out of Gauff’s side while returning.
Thus, despite an upsetting season this year, the defending champion seems in her best shape and mood to ensure the title doesn’t slip away from her hands.
She will next face her fellow American and world number 12 Emma Navarro in the Round of 16 clash. The match will take place at 2:30 p.m. EST on Sunday at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Beating Navarro can lead Gauff to the quarterfinal, from which she will try to pave her way to the final and, ultimately, the championship.
