New York, September 6 (Daily Kiran) : Coco Gauff has secured her place in the of the 2026 US Open after defeating Kristina Buksa 6-3, 6-4 on Saturday.
This marks Gauff’s fifth consecutive year reaching this stage of the tournament.
Initially facing challenges at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the fourth-seeded Gauff fell behind 3-1. However, she quickly turned the match around, winning five of the next six games to take the first set with a powerful serve. The second set remained competitive until Gauff established a 4-3 lead. Buksa managed to equalize, but Gauff clinched the match by winning the final eight points.
Despite not being at her best, Gauff showed resilience. She struggled with her first serve, landing less than half and committing six double faults. Nevertheless, when her first serve was effective, she won 20 out of 27 points. Her defensive skills and movement proved crucial, as she converted four of nine break-point opportunities and won 15 out of 22 points at the net.
Gauff acknowledged that she had difficulty finding her rhythm in the daytime conditions but adjusted as the match progressed. “Christina is a tricky player. She can speed up the game and slow it down, which made it hard for me to find my rhythm. But I’m just happy that I managed to compete even when I wasn’t playing my best,” she said.
In the fourth round, Gauff will face American teenager Eva Jovik, who reached this stage for the first time by defeating Alexandra Ella 7-5, 3-6, 7-5 in a three-hour match at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Gauff and Jovik previously met earlier this year in Rome, where Gauff emerged victorious with a score of 5-7, 7-5, 6-2.