By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday September 5, 2022
Flushing Meadows, NY—Performing in the cacophonous and cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadium makes some players cower in fear. For 18-year-old Coco Gauff, it makes her want to scream.
After her 7-5, 7-5 victory over China’s Zhang Shuai, the No.12 seed says it is so loud on court that it makes it easier for her to scream at the top of her lungs.
“Here I can't hear myself scream,” Gauff said. “Makes me want to do it more. I think I'm feeding off the momentum a lot. I enjoy it. I think New York is bringing out a side of me that I haven't had since I was 15, so it's nice.”
Gauff hopes that she can raise the volume once again in the quarterfinals against the scorching-hot Caroline Garcia in a contest that promises to be the American’s toughest of the tournament.
Neither Gauff nor Garcia have dropped a set through four round – something has to give on Tuesday in Ashe.
“She's obviously a great player, even though she's had ups and downs,” Gauff said. “I think right now she's playing probably the best tennis – I think she's playing the best tennis she's played in a long time.
“It's going to be a challenge. When you play these players that are hot, I think it's more of a mental challenge. You just gotta accept she's going to hit some great shots, because I know she will.”
Gauff says that facing Madison Keys and Zhang Shuai, two players who play streamlined attacking tennis like Garcia, will have helped her.
“I think my mentality has been great,” she said. “I played two similar opponents, Maddie Keys, who can hit some unbelievable shots from the wings. Same with Shuai today. She was hitting some great shots. I think I was doing a good job of accepting it, clapping my hands, moving on to the next point. I think I'm going to have to do that for the next match.”
Gauff owns a 2-0 lifetime edge over Garcia, with both matches played on hard courts.
“I'm super excited actually to play Coco in the U.S., in New York, quarterfinal of slam, it's great,” said Garcia, who has won 29 of her last 33 matches. “She already have some experience with the final in Roland Garros. She's a tough player, doing really good this year, very consistent, still very young.
“It's a great match to play, quarterfinal of a slam is a battle, is a challenge, and I will get myself ready for it.”