Coco Gauff is facing Ajla Tomljanovic in the first round of the 2025 US Open Singles. And neither of them seems to be backing down. After refusing to compete in the US Open Mixed Doubles to keep her focus on the singles event, Gauff is certainly carrying a lot of pressure at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. But Serena Williams’ ex-coach has some additional scares for the #3 WTA star. 

Rennae Stubbs took to X as Gauff battled Tomljanovic and wrote, “Let’s not forget, this match for [Coco Gauff] is not an easy one against [Ajla Tomljanovic] ! Ajla at her best can beat anyone. Hasn’t had the year she has wanted to but she’s super capable of playing outstanding tennis. We all remember the match against Serena [US Open] on this same court.” 

Ajla Tomljanovic and Serena Williams competed against each other at the 2022 US Open on the court of Arthur Ashe Stadium. Needless to say, the match was electric, with both players charging it up with their emotions and performance. And the emotions were a bit stronger for Williams, since she was competing in her final Grand Slam match. But alas! Only one could win the game, and it wasn’t Williams. 

Ajla defeated the ‘Queen of the Court’ with a scoreline of 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-1. This win not only took Tomljanovic to the fourth round of the US Open for the first time in her career, but also showcased her ability to perform under pressure. However, her game in the 2025 season has seen a lot of turbulence, with her last two tournaments ending with defeats in the second round. 

Moreover, there is an eerie similarity between the settings of the two matches. The crowd in 2022 cheered for Williams as she took on Tomljanovic. And the Croatian shut herself from the noise to focus on the game. And now, the crowd is cheering for Gauff as she tries to defend her stance in her home ground. She has already won the first set, but Tomljanovic’s prowess isn’t something that she should take lightly. 

But we can’t really undermine Coco Gauff’s prowess. Of course, she has a lot of problems with her serve. But she has also taken drastic measures to overcome that. And that came with her teaming up with Gavin MacMillan. 

Coco Gauff has taken enough steps to ensure a win at the US Open

Gauff, during her tenure with Matt Daly, won the French Open in 2024 by defeating Aryna Sabalenka. This truly highlights the kind of danger she poses to her opponents. However, her later tournaments in the 2025 season were a bit shaky. And most of it came from the 320 double-faults she made this season. But things are a bit different at the US Open. 

With MacMillan by her side, Coco Gauff has already made some serious developments in her serves. Even Serena Williams’ childhood coach, Rick Macci, took note of that. In an X post, he stated that Gauff’s “symptoms are magically disappearing.” And why shouldn’t they? MacMillan is the guy who cured Sabalenka of her bad serve. And now, it’s Gauff’s turn. 

But can Gauff continue making progress with MacMillan’s guidance? We’ll have to see that in the upcoming chapters. But for now, head to EssentiallySports’ live blog if you don’t want to miss out on the action.