By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Coco Gauff sees her 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 Miami Open loss to Caroline Garcia as one that got away.

The US Open champion earned four break points in the first game of the last set, but could not convert.

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The 23rd-seeded Garcia withstood the stress test then broke at love for a 2-0 lead she never relinquished.

Delray Beach-born Gauff said it's "tough" to lose at home, but cited her sharper serve as one positive from a disappointing defeat.

Gauff served 59 percent, pumped eight aces (seven more than the big-serving Garcia) and saved two of five break-points in the fourth-round loss.

Compared to her sometime sporadic serving performance in Indian Wells, Gauff said this was a step forward.



"This is a tough loss," Gauff said. "I do think one positive is the serve. You know, I got broken a lot today. I don't think it was because of my serving.

"I went from hitting 17 double faults in Indian Wells to I think only, like, two or three today. So I think that's something that can continue to improve, but it did in a short amount of time."

Photo credit: Miami Open/Hard Rock Stadium