By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, September 7, 2026
Picture credit score: Jon Buckle/ROLEX
NEW YORK—Anticipation is a Coco Gauff asset.
Tonight, Gauff performed with highly effective prescience.
Beating Iva Jovic to the ball, Gauff performed as if powered by an inner GPS touchdown a US Open quarterfinal return.
In an all-American conflict, Gauff streaked previous Jovic 6-1, 6-4 into her twelfth Grand Slam quarterfinal earlier than a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium crowd that included Corridor of Famer Jennifer Capriati, Yankees slugger Aaron Choose and former Knicks famous person Carmelo Anthony.
Cincinnati Open champion Gauff scored her tenth straight win as she continues her hunt for a second US Open last within the the final 4 years.
A proficient shotmaker, the 18-year-old Jovic broke to open this match.
Then Gauff elevated her recreation to locations Jovic couldn’t match. Gauff transformed 5 of 11 break factors, doubled Jovic’s winner output (18 to 9) and fired her forehand with as a lot command as she has the whole event.
It was a whole efficiency from Gauff, who defended with dedication and attacked with vigor profitable 16 of twenty-two journeys to web.
“Iva’s an unbelievable participant, an unbelievable expertise,” Gauff instructed ESPN’s Christopher Eubanks afterward. “She performs past her years. I’ve been in an analogous place as her so I’m trying ahead to many extra battles on the market.
“I’m certain we’ll be taking part in much more sooner or later. I feel I acquired much more appears to be like on break factors. I feel the distinction was lastly capitalizing on break level alternatives.
“Truthfully there was one recreation the place I felt like I used to be working a marathon and that one acquired me by. That was the primary match the place I felt out of breath in a very long time.”
The 2023 US Open champion Gauff surged into her twelfth Grand Slam quarterfinal in fashion pulling off a snazzy serve-and-volley sticking a difficult low backhand volley within the nook to shut in a single hour, 33 minutes.
The 22-year-old Gauff has not surrendered a set returning to the Flushing Meadows quarterfinals for the primary time since she rallied previous Aryna Sabalenka to take the 2023 title.
Gauff arrange a blockbuster quarterfinal showdown vs. reigning Roland Garros champion Mirra Andreeva, who outlasted Anastasia Potapova 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 on Louis Armstrong Stadium. The match of the present and former French Open champions has favored Gauff, who’s 5-0 lifetime vs. Andreeva.
“I suppose the face to face leans my manner, nevertheless it’s all the time tremendous robust,” Gauff stated. “I’m trying ahead to it.”
The quarterfinal pits two of one of the best two-handed backhands within the sport. Gauff has been way more aggressive on each first and second serves at this US Open in comparison with the 2025 Open when she began working with coach and biomechanics technician Gavin MacMillan, one week earlier than the US Open began.
Whereas Gauff stopped wanting calling it her greatest match of the tourbnament—youthful brother Cameron gave her an enormous thumbs-up from the field—she’s performed a few of her most dynamic tennis of the season
Attacking Gauff’s generally flaky forehand from the outset, Jovic exploited a double fault breaking to open the match.
Even when she suffers a sluggish begin, Gauff’s quick ft and ability stretching factors can thwart opponents. Gauff broke proper again then ripped a 121 mile-an-hour serve winner that helped her again up the break.
Various spins, speeds and heights on her pictures, Gauff saved the ball out of Jovic’s strike zone then drew a netted error for her second straight break within the fourth recreation.
Establishing shortly for a forehand, Gauff drilled a diagonal winner that helped her maintain at 15 for a 4-1 lead.
Seemingly drained by her thrilling 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 win over Washington, DC champion Alexandra Eala that spanned three hours, three-minutes, Jovic’s shot tolerance dipped because the set progressed. Flailing a forehand, Jovic
When Jovic despatched a forehand vast, Gauff grabbed her sixth straight recreation and the lopsided 34-minute opening set.
Exuding extra vitality, Gauff cruised by 12 of the ultimate 13 factors of the set
The 2023 champion cruised by 12 of the ultimate 13 factors drawing errors from Jovic.
At that time, the 18-year-old Jovic desperately wanted to make a stand and she or he did precisely that holding agency to start out the second set and snap a six-game dropping streak.
As Corridor of Famer and New York native Jennifer Capriati watched, the match escalated within the fifth recreation.
A pulsating 24-shot rally noticed Gauff make an outrageous backhand flick then run down a forehand for break level.
Answering instantly, Jovic cracked a working forehand move down the road. Jovic’s ability driving down the road makes her a risk, however Gauff’s explosive velocity shrunk open house as {the teenager} popped up a half volley and paid the worth.
Sprinting ahead, Gauff belted a move proper into the physique rattling out the error and holding up her hand in apology for the physique blow as she broke for 3-2.
Even after eight video games, Gauff stepped contained in the baseline and torched an 82 mph backhand bolt for triple break level. When Jovic sailed a shot past the road, Gauff flashed a clenched fist to her field, breaking for 5-4.
Serving for the quarterfinals, Gauff hit a leaping despatched a smash off the tape and loved a good bounce for match level.
Urgent ahead, Gauff leaned low to scrape a slick backhand volley and shutting with slick shotmaking.
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