Going into this year’s US Open, one of the main talking points was Coco Gauff’s serve. The honest truth is that the No. 3 seed was really struggling with double faults. In the first round of the Montreal Open against Danielle Collins, Gauff managed to win, yet had raked up 23 double faults. This eventually led to her downfall with early-round exits in Montreal and Cincinnati. Despite the skepticism surrounding her form, Gauff entered the US Open with renewed hope and vigor barely days after seeking help from biomechanics coach, Gavin MacMillan.

Things were looking up for Gauff as she clawed her way out of the challenge against the formidable Ajla Tomljanović, despite having committed 10 double faults. The learning curve seemed to be upward and onward, until now, that is. Her R2 game against Croatian Donna Vekic has been sloppy for starters. After a turbulent start, which, despite Gauff’s ability to pull through in clutch moments, led to a tiebreaker in the very first set despite being 2 games away. Old habits die hard.

But for Gauff, the crowd and lady luck were on her side. Gauff regained momentum at the start of the second set while Vekic seemed to be visibly struggling. If her own serving woes and unforced errors weren’t a dead giveaway, her medical timeout was. Vekic’s right arm injury lugged at her performance, to the point that she had to stop and ask for help. But no amount of help was enough to guarantee her a victory in the second set.

Vekic’s professional tennis career has been nothing short of an uphill climb, that too, a treacherous trek. Donna Vekic had her career-best season in 2024, highlighted by a memorable run to the Wimbledon semi-finals—her deepest showing at a Grand Slam—before falling to Jasmine Paolini. That breakthrough year also saw her capture a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, losing to Zheng Qinwen in the final.

But persistent knee injuries, coupled with fluctuating form and motivation, have made it difficult for the Croatian to sustain momentum. Those struggles resurfaced at the 2025 US Open, where her campaign ended abruptly in the second round against Coco Gauff. A troubling right arm and shoulder issue forced her to call a medical timeout mid-match, cutting short her challenge.

Her discomfort was evident as she sprayed nine double faults in the opening set and committed 15 unforced errors in the second. Despite battling bravely, the physical toll proved too much, and her level dropped. In the end, she succumbed in straight sets, her injury overshadowing any chance of replicating her 2024 highs. Meanwhile, Coco Gauff’s lead, despite the serving woes, wasn’t just a fluke.

Gauff’s progress is slow, but steady

Coco Gauff, meanwhile, displayed resilience under pressure, overcoming her own shaky serve to advance 7-6(5), 6-2 under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium. The reigning Roland Garros champion has been refining her serve with biomechanist Gavin MacMillan, though seven double faults highlighted its ongoing development.

Yet, Gauff’s ability to grind through difficult moments once again stood out. Just as in her marathon opener against Ajla Tomljanović, she steadied herself in the key tiebreak, producing clean hitting and forcing Vekic into errors. By the second set, her control and composure ensured her progress into the third round.

After the win, Gauff admitted it had been emotionally taxing. She grew tearful while addressing the New York crowd, saying their energy kept her going despite recent struggles. “It’s been a rough couple of weeks,” she shared. “I’m doing this for myself, but also for you.”

Looking ahead, Gauff will face 28th seed Magdalena Frech in the third round. With a 19-5 main-draw record in New York, she remains one of the most consistent performers at Flushing Meadows. The challenge now is whether her improving serve can sustain another deep run.

Meanwhile, for real-time updates from the 2025 US Open, head to our EssentiallySports Live Blog!

Guess who else we caught up with for some pleasant bytes at the US Open: