Coco Gauff Nears Venus Williams’ Rare Record Not Touched By Any Other WTA Star

One thing that will please Coco Gauff in her 3rd round match at the 2025 US Open is her double-fault count. Just a few weeks ago, she had 16 double faults to her name at a Cincinnati Masters match. Now, it seems the arrival of her new coach, biomechanist Gavin MacMillan, is beginning to bear fruit, as she got the serve under control and authoritatively dispatched 28-seeded Magdalena Frech to book a place in the 4th round. And with that, Gauff is also continuing a long-standing tradition.

The achievement was shared by WTA itself after the 2023 US Open champion secured a 6-3, 6-1 win in the 3rd round. So, what is it, you may wonder? Well, this will be Gauff’s 16th fourth-round appearance in Grand Slams, something she has achieved before turning 22. There is only one player from the USA who has achieved more 4th round appearances in the open era before turning 22. Yes, you guessed it right. It’s none other than Venus Williams, the 7-time GS Champion, who has also reached the fourth round of a Grand Slam 17 times before she hit 22. WTA, while sharing the news, added the perfect caption: “In Good Company🤝”.

This accomplishment from Gauff, and Williams, signify one thing foremost – how naturally talented they were as tennis players. Coco Gauff won her first Grand Slam at the age of 19. Venus Williams won her first Slam just after turning 20. While Gauff has 2 Majors to her name so far, the older Williams of the Williams sister had 4, two Wimbledons and two US Opens.

Hailing from Delray Beach, Florida, Coco Gauff comes from a family with deep athletic roots. That may have helped her get an early start. And she hasn’t wasted it. Reaching the Australian Open semi-finals at just 20 years of age has been bested by winning the Roland Garros at 21, that too against one of the greatest competitors of the present day, Aryna Sabalenka.

Meaning? Coco Gauff has already proved herself against the best. And she is on a quest to do that again, against all odds and challenges

A massively improved Coco Gauff with a champion performance

The Cincinnati Masters match against Jasmine Paolini in the quarter-finals was a reality check. Talented as she may be, her deeply-flawed serve meant she couldn’t have rely on talent for answers. But Coco Gauff is anything but someone who takes her gifts for granted. That’s why MacMillan came on board her team. And it’s been a gruelling work behind the scenes.

So challenging has this adjustment been, that her mental well-being has been strained. Her fans got concerned whether she is pushing so hard. But that’s exactly what Coco Gauff was doing. But what we didn’t expect is the massively assured performance against Magdalena Frech. Straight sets win, with 76% first serve percentage. The win percentage on 1st serve was 71%, meaning she is doing the right work.

She has always been good at the nets, which showed in the 3rd round, too, as she racked up 10 out of 11 points. After crushing struggles with her serve, which had left her almost broken mentally on the court, the US star has put back the pieces, come back, and gave a display worthy of a champion. And we are hoping for more. Don’t miss a moment—get minute-by-minute coverage of the US Open on EssentiallySports.