Coco Gauff Sends Emotional Message to Over 20,000 Fans at US Open

Coco Gauff’s impressive 6-3, 6-1 win against Poland’s Magdalena Frech in the third round of the 2025 US Open wasn’t just about moving into the second week; it marked a historic milestone. With this win, the 21-year-old has now made the second-most appearances in the round of 16 at a major for an American woman before turning 22 in the Open era. This marks her 16th achievement on this stage and really highlights her as one of tennis’s standout talents.

This record-breaking performance, achieved at the iconic Arthur Ashe Stadium, underscored her resilience amid a turbulent start to the tournament, where technical struggles and emotional vulnerability had threatened to derail her campaign. Even though the score was straight sets, the match showed how well Gauff can handle pressure.

Furthermore, her serve is definitely getting better, even if it’s still a bit of a work in progress with those four double faults. But hey, she landed 76% of her first serves, which helped her take control of the match. This win adds to her impressive record against players ranked outside the top 20 at Grand Slams, bringing it to 30-1 since 2023.

After the match, Gauff’s on-court interview with over 20,000 fans watching her live showed how she’s working on changing her mindset from focusing on results to enjoying the process instead. She shared, “I put so much pressure on myself but I’m really out here just trying to enjoy it and not focus so much on results but the process. I think today has shown that I was having fun out there. The support means a lot. Truly, I can’t put into words how privileged I feel to walk on this court and have the support of all of you guys, and also on social media and things like that. I just hope that I repay the feeling to those around as well.”

This reflection came after a pretty intense week where she had openly cried during her second-round win against Donna Vekic, feeling the pressure of expectations and dealing with some issues with her serve. She showed how she can turn that vulnerability into a focused and joyful performance against Frech, highlighting the mental strength that’s become her signature.

Gauff’s words and performance show how she’s growing both in her skills and her mindset as an athlete. She decided to bring biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan onto her team just before the US Open, hoping to tackle her serving issues. It was a bold move that definitely drew a lot of attention at first. By embracing the journey and leaning on her supporters, she has turned what could have been chaos into a real display of growth.

As she moves on to a fourth-round match against either Naomi Osaka or Daria Kasatkina, her incredible journey is more than just numbers; it’s a story of determination, driven by a love for the game and a deep gratitude for those who support her along the way. And her openess to such a big audience has always been appreciated by her peers.

Praising Coco Gauff for her guts

Coco Gauff shared that during her second-round match at the 2025 US Open, she felt “the worst I’ve ever felt on the court.” Jessica Pegula, fresh off her win against Victoria Azarenka, felt for Gauff and her challenges during her press conference.

Pegula admired Gauff’s bravery, saying, “I mean, like she said, being able to do that in front of a stadium—breaking down, going through whatever she was going through inside, and still being able to win the match and come out on the other side—that takes guts.”

She also pointed out that playing at the Arthur Ashe Stadium is no walk in the park. She said, “Not only are you playing out there, but you’re trying to win, and then you feel like you’re failing, and then you’re crying, and then you still win. That’s even harder than not showing any emotion at all. I think, like she said, it showed that she was human, and sometimes fans don’t understand that.”

Pegula explained that even though tennis isn’t a matter of life or death, the pressure to perform well, especially when things aren’t going right, can take a toll. She mentioned that letting out emotions can be important and even healing, highlighting that it’s often tougher to express feelings and bounce back than to just keep a stiff upper lip. Her comments highlight how athletes, even though they’re at the top of their game, go through moments of vulnerability that a lot of fans might not get.