Coco Gauff Embraces ‘Victory Lap’ Mindset in Dominant US Open Title Defense

Defending US Open champion Coco Gauff has embraced a refreshed mindset, describing this year’s tournament as a “victory lap” after cruising past Varvara Gracheva in her opening match. The 20-year-old American showed flashes of her best form in a commanding 6-2 6-0 win, wrapping up the contest in just 66 minutes on the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Gauff’s dominant start comes as she looks to defend the title she claimed last year when she defeated Aryna Sabalenka to secure her first Grand Slam crown. Since then, she has built on that success with semi-final appearances at both the Australian Open and French Open this year. However, recent weeks have posed challenges, as she struggled for consistency with early exits in tournaments at Cincinnati and Toronto, as well as a third-round loss at the Paris Olympics.

Reflecting on her recent struggles, Gauff acknowledged the dip in her form but expressed relief at finding her groove again in the opening round. “The past few weeks have been a little bit tough,” Gauff admitted. “But I felt like today was the best tennis I’ve played in a while.”

A fan’s comment on social media played a crucial role in helping Gauff shift her perspective ahead of the tournament. “Someone commented on my TikTok saying, ‘You’ve won in life, literally and figuratively, and there’s no point in piling pressure on yourself during a victory lap,’” she revealed in her on-court interview. “I’m just treating this tournament like that, and if you’re defending something, that means you’ve already won.”

Displaying her trademark power and precision, Gauff fired 10 aces and dominated on serve, breaking Gracheva twice in the first set before racing through the second set, winning the final nine games. The performance signaled a return to the form that made her one of the rising stars in women’s tennis.

Gauff’s next challenge will come in the form of 37-year-old German veteran Tatjana Maria, who secured her place in the second round with a 6-2 6-3 victory over Argentine qualifier Solana Sierra. Gauff will be looking to build on her strong start as she aims to repeat last year’s success.

Elsewhere in the tournament, second seed Aryna Sabalenka, considered one of the favorites to challenge for the title, eased past Australia’s Priscilla Hon 6-3 6-3 in the night session on Louis Armstrong Stadium.

With her newfound mindset and an impressive opening performance, Gauff appears well-positioned to make another deep run at Flushing Meadows, continuing her journey as one of tennis’s brightest stars.