Silent on Gauff, Coco’s Ex-Coach Speaks Out on Jessica Pegula as She Keeps American Dream Alive at US Open

In front of a roaring 23,771-seat arena, Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka renewed their rivalry yesterday, the echoes of 2019 lingering in the backdrop. But this time, there were no tears, no consolations, only the storm of a four-time major champion overwhelming the young American. For Gauff, it ended in heartbreak, crashing out against Osaka’s relentless firepower. Yet as one dream faded, another rose. Jessica Pegula, with an emphatic win, now carries America’s hope, and even Coco’s former coach, Brad Gilbert, silent on Gauff’s loss, has turned his praise toward Pegula’s blazing form at the US Open.

Jessica Pegula, the American fourth seed, stormed past former world number two Barbora Krejčíková 6-3, 6-3 to book her place in the US Open semi-finals. Against a dangerous opponent fresh from a heroic comeback over Taylor Townsend, the 31-year-old showed her poise and precision, dismantling Krejcikova’s rhythm with ruthless efficiency. Not once dropping a set this campaign, steady dominance and an unshakable calm have marked Pegula’s path under pressure.

Now, with a second consecutive semi-final secured in New York, Pegula’s charge gathers fresh momentum. As Coco Gauff’s former coach, Brad Gilbert, observed with admiration, “Routine win for Pegula into 2nd straight semis,” a testament to her control, consistency, and unrelenting hunger for glory.

It was ultimately a straightforward victory. At Arthur Ashe Stadium, the script unfolded with ruthless precision. The clock had barely struck 11:30 a.m. ET when Jessica Pegula came out firing, striking early with her forehand and leaving Barbora Krejčíková scrambling for rhythm. The crowd hardly had time to settle before the American, sharp and relentless, stormed to 3-0 and then 4-1 in just 20 minutes. Pegula, the No. 4 seed and last year’s US Open finalist, looked every bit the player who had glided through her first four matches in New York without losing a set and spending nearly four hours on court.

The statistics tell the story of a veteran rewriting her destiny. Once a player who failed to advance to the semis in her first 22 main draw appearances at majors, Pegula has now reached back-to-back semifinals at Flushing Meadows, a feat last achieved without dropping a set by Serena Williams, who strung four in a row between 2011 and 2014. Pegula has lost just 23 games so far in this run, the fewest by any American woman en route to a major semifinal since Serena at the 2016 Australian Open. The numbers glitter, but her composure glows brighter.

Krejčíková, a former world No. 2 and a two-time Grand Slam singles champion, came into this battle after saving eight match points against Taylor Townsend. Her spirit was unquestionable, but her execution betrayed her. A whiffed forehand in the second game, repeated struggles with her backhand, and an unreliable second serve left her exposed. Pegula punished every weakness with clean, flat returns, capitalizing whenever the Czech’s toss drifted astray.

To Krejčíková’s credit, she tried to mount a fight, stealing back-to-back games and threatening to equalize in the opening set. But Pegula slammed the door shut, breaking her opponent for the third time to seal the opener. From there, the tone was set. Pegula didn’t just control the rallies; she owned the moment, showing the calm of a player who has turned scars of the past into fire for the present.

At 31, Pegula is the oldest woman left in the draw, and with each win she chisels her way closer to the Grand Slam crown that has long eluded her. Her efficiency, her patience, her hunger, they all speak to a player who knows the value of conserving energy in a field where chaos reigns.

And yet, while Pegula keeps the American flame burning, Coco Gauff’s dream flickered out. Her loss, a heartbreak of its own, has already been dissected by American ATP stars who blame one costly flaw. For now, the torch has passed, and it rests firmly in Pegula’s hands.

Former ATP stars pin Gauff’s US Open exit

In New York, the lights shone bright, but Coco Gauff’s run dimmed against the storm of Naomi Osaka. The four-time Grand Slam winner looked every inch a champion again, thrashing Gauff 6-3, 6-2 to storm into the quarterfinals. For Gauff, the dream of reclaiming her US Open crown slipped away in silence, leaving home fans with an ache they had not expected.

What felt like a shock for many was, however, no surprise to those who had been watching closely. On the Nothing Major Show YouTube channel, Sam Querrey, Steve Johnson, and Jack Sock dissected the match even before the dust settled. The trio of former pros read the signs that others ignored.

“Osaka looks like she’s back in winning form, and Coco—the fact that she got to the fourth round—honestly, it’s been a bit of a struggle. She’s got to find that serve,” Sock declared, pointing to the one flaw that betrayed Gauff at crucial moments. Querrey echoed the sentiment, reminding fans how the narrative got carried away.

“Coco struggled for the first two rounds, then crushed it in the third round…And I think people maybe overreacted to that and were like, ‘All right, Coco’s back.’ But Osaka made the final in Canada, and now she’s rolling through here,” Querrey reasoned, laying bare the difference in form and momentum.

Now, with Coco out of the frame, the baton rests firmly in Jessica Pegula’s hands. America has already tasted Slam success twice this year, and the question burns: can Pegula etch her name beside Coco and Madison Keys as the nation’s next shining champion?

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