Cori Gauff Advances to Second Round of US Open with Improved Serving

NEW YORK, TUESDAY – Serving has become a weakness that Cori Gauff has addressed by adding a new coach to her team ahead of the US Open Grand Slam. Although not yet perfect, the reduced percentage of serving errors has enabled her to win a difficult match in the first round.

The tennis player known as Coco had to compete for nearly three hours, specifically two hours and 57 minutes, just to advance past the first round of the women's singles. With the support of around 20,000 spectators at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing Meadows, New York, on Tuesday (26/8/2025) evening local time, Coco defeated Ajla Tomljanovic with a score of 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-5.

Facing a tournament in her own country and with a background of inconsistent performances following her victory at the French Open Grand Slam in June, Coco made changes to her coaching team. After winning at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Coco was eliminated in the first round of Wimbledon.

In the US Open warm-up tournament, the 21-year-old tennis player lost in the fourth round of the WTA 1000 Canada and the quarterfinals of the WTA 1000 Cincinnati. The main factor for the defeat was Coco's inability to serve well, even though this is a crucial shot that can provide quick points for the player. She is now trying to improve by seeking a "specialist" serve coach.

He is no longer collaborating with Matt Daly, who has been coaching him for the past year. The world number three tennis player has brought in Gavin McMillan, less than a week before the US Open, which takes place from August 24 to September 7.

McMillan is the biomechanic expert behind the powerful serve of the world number one in women's singles, Aryna Sabalenka. McMillan coached Sabalenka in 2022 and led her to win three Grand Slam titles, namely the Australian Open in 2023 and 2024, as well as the US Open in 2024.

Coco's serve against Tomljanovic wasn't error-free. Her first-serve success rate (61 percent) was lower than her opponent's 66 percent. Coco made ten double faults, more than Tomljanovic's seven. However, her serve statistics were better than in previous tournaments.

In the second round of the WTA 1000 Canada tournament, three weeks before the US Open, Coco made 23 double faults. At the 2024 US Open, when she lost to Emma Navarro in the fourth round, she made 19 double faults. The loss to Navarro prevented Coco from defending her US Open title.

Coco was even recorded as the player with the most double faults in 2024 and 2025, according to WTA statistics. Throughout the 2024 season, she committed 430 double faults.

In the seven months of the 2025 competition, she hasn't shaken off her weaknesses and remains the top performer in terms of double faults, with 320. This is worse than Alycia Parks and Ekaterina Alexandrova, who are in second and third place with 225 and 215, respectively.

So, after defeating Tomljanovic, Coco expressed relief. At least his efforts to improve his weaknesses had yielded results, even if not significant ones.

"It is very difficult. It is very exhausting in terms of mental factors, but I am trying to improve my serve. Today is not the best, but it is better compared to when I performed in Cincinnati. I am trying to improve in every match," said Coco on the official US Open website.

In addition to serving, Coco is trying to find a way to counter Tomljanovic's resilience in maintaining rallies. The Australian tennis player often manages to return Coco's shots, even from difficult positions.

"I tried to keep her outside the baseline, but she managed to position herself there, and every shot I made came back. She played really well when I had the chance to win two sets," said Coco, who will face Donna Vekic in the second round.

In addition to Coco, Naomi Osaka also arrived in New York with a new coach. After ending her collaboration with Patrick Mouratoglou, who had been with her for ten months, Osaka chose Tomasz Wiktorowski as her coach starting in July.

Osaka hopes that Wiktorowski's experience in mentoring Agnieszka Radwanska and Iga Swiatek can bring her back to the elite competition in women's singles. Wiktorowski coached Radwanska from 2011 to 2018, and then assisted Swiatek from the end of the 2021 season until 2024.

Together with the 44-year-old coach, Swiatek has won four Grand Slam titles out of a total of six titles. In the 2022 competition season, Swiatek was selected as the best female athlete according to the WTA, and Wiktorowski became one of the candidates for the best coach. In their first tournament together, the WTA 1000 Canada, held from July 27 to August 7, Osaka reached the final before being defeated by Victoria Mboko.

During her first round match against Greet Minnen at the US Open, Osaka followed Wiktorowski's instructions when she was tied at 3-3 in the first set. Wiktorowski instructed the four-time Grand Slam champion to use more topspin. Osaka did so with better control, winning three straight games.

"This tournament means a lot to me; I really want to win it. Every time I play, the atmosphere feels like home, and this place truly feels like my own home," said Osaka, who appeared in a red gown adorned with crystals and rose-shaped hair accessories.

Although she carries the name of Japan, her country of birth, Osaka grew up in the United States. When Osaka was four years old, her parents moved her and her sister, Mari, to New York. Thus, the atmosphere of New York as a busy and noisy city is not unfamiliar to Osaka.

The first title from the Grand Slam arena was obtained at the US Open. He became the champion after defeating his idol, Serena Williams, in the 2018 final.

Meanwhile, world number one men's singles player Jannik Sinner began his title defense with a straight sets victory. Sinner defeated Vit Kopriva 6-1, 6-1, 6-2 and will face big server Alexei Popyrin in the second round.

2020 US Open finalist, Alexander Zverev, concluded his third day of the tournament with a victory over Alejandro Tabilo. Zverev won 6-2, 7-6 (4), 6-4. (AP/AFP)