By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Friday, May 31, 2024
US Open champion Coco Gauff defeated Dayana Yastremska 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Roland Garros fourth round for the fourth straight year.
Photo credit: Clive Mason/Getty
Leaning into a low crouch, Coco Gauff sprang off the soft surface leaping for the balls dripping through the air.
All that activity occurred in the gym during the third seed’s extensive pre-match warm-up.
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Before she even struck a shot, Gauff was ready for launch.
Gauff started strong then subdued a late uprising defeating Dayana Yastremska 6-2, 6-4 to reach the Roland Garros fourth round.
The 2022 Roland Garros runner-up raised her 2024 record to 28-8, including a 10-3 mark on clay.
It was a positive though not exactly a pristine performance from Gauff, who squandered a match point when she first served for it at 5-2 and confronted nine of the 11 break points she faced in her final two service games.
Still, Gauff, who led by a set and a double break, did not succumb to the stress against the Australian Open semifinalist.
“I played her in Madrid, and she plays really well from behind, so I knew that closing the match would be difficult because she just hit some great shots,” Gauff said in her on-court interview. “I definitely could’ve closed it out on my serve, I got a little bit unlucky.
"In the last game, she hit three or four balls on the edge of the line, and so it was a little bit difficult mentally to stayed focused and not get too mad, but I’m glad I was able to push through.”
The 20-year-old Gauff charged into the French Open fourth round for the fourth straight year. Playing for a fourth trip to the Roland Garros quarterfinals, Gauff will face Elisabetta Cocciaretto in the fourth round.
World No. 51 Cocciaretto conquered 17th-ranked Liudmila Samsonova 7-6(4), 6-2, to reach her first Grand Slam fourth round with her third career Top 20-win.
"I played her in Dubai, as you said, and that was a tough match. I believe it was, like, 7-6, maybe 6-2 or 6-1 or something like that," Gauff said of the 23-year-old Italian. "It was a tough match. I very remember it well. I haven't maybe watched a lot of her matches on clay, so I would probably have to go back and see what adjustments I need to make with that game.
"I know she's a fighter. She fights all the time. No matter what the score is, she's not giving up until the last point. I know I have to go in there with a strong mentality."
Gauff, who has permitted just 15 games in three tournament wins, owns a 2-0 record against Cocciaretto and will be a firm favorite to reach her seventh career Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Yastremska rarely met a ball she didn’t believe she could belt for a winner at full force.
Trying to strong arm her forehand, Yastremska slapped successive forehands into net, then stared up at the sky in frustration, as Gauff broke for 5-2 at the 27-minute mark.
Serving for the set, Gauff’s much-analyzed forehand held up. Yastremska’s forehand did not.
Three straight forehand errors from Yastremska—combined with a bold 95 mph second serve from Gauff on break point—helped the US Open champion serve out the opening set.
Gauff served just 46 percent in the opening set, but was tough on second serve, winning 10 of 13 points played on her second delivery.
After dropping the opening set, Yastremska left the court for an apparent bathroom break, while Gauff hit some practice serves.
The Australian Open semifinalist Yastremska returned to court, but couldn’t flush her forehand errors. Yastremska immediately fell into a triple break point hole as Gauff broke to start the second set with her fourth straight game.
The Ukrainian broke right back, stopping her slide when Gauff pasted a forehand into net.
The 30th-seeded Yastremska cleaned up her game and lifted her level staying in strep through the first four games of set two.
In the fifth, Gauff made her move. Whipping a series of deep backhands that pushed Yastremska back behind the baseline, Gauff drew the error scoring her fourth break for 3-2.
Yastremska can bang the ball when her feet are set, but consistently keeping it between the lines is a different story. When the Ukrainian sailed another forehand down the line, Gauff broke again for 5-2.
Serving for the match, Gauff had match point, but could not convert it. Gauff withstood three break points as Yastremska could not find the finishing forehand. Facing a fourth break point, Gauff zapped her third ace to save it. Gauff denied a fifth break point bolting a backhand winner down the line.
Still, Yastremeska kept coming converting her sixth break point when Gauff ballooned a forehand long to break for 3-5.
Rain started to fall as Yastremeska held for 4-5 forcing the former finalist to try to serve it out again.
Yastremska landed a forehand off the sideline to earn two more break points in the 10th game. Gauff dug in to deny both only to double fault and face a third break point. This time, Yastremska didn’t move her feet and whacked a wild forehand return wide.
On her second match point, Gauff locked down defensively behind the baseline eliciting the errant backhand to wrap a 94-minute victory.
US Open champion Gauff backed up her inspired Flushing Meadows title run reaching her third major semifinal at the Australian Open last January.
Auckland champion Gauff said she feels mroe settled in Paris and is aiming to maintain her perspective: She's 20 and already a Grand Slam champion who believes the best is yet to come.
“I would say going into Australia, I was more nervous after the first couple rounds, but now I'm just taking it one match at a time,” Gauff said. “It’s something that I accomplished, but I think it's important just to stay in the moment, and obviously want to expect great things from yourself, but not to put too much pressure, especially you know at 20.
"“I hope I'm still playing at least 10 years from now, so it's a long process.”