TENNIS
When is Coco Gauff’s debut in the 2024 US Open? Who is she playing against?
The young American player will have the chance to defend her Grand Slam title, which she won at the US Open last year, for the first time in her career.
In the past year, the rising tennis star Coco Gauff has achieved impressive milestones: securing her first WTA title, winning her first Grand Slam title, reaching the No.2 ranking, and being honored as the United States flag bearer alongside LeBron James this summer at the Paris Olympic Games.
Now, she faces her most important challenge yet as she defends her US Open title against a competitive and motivated field. The question on everyone’s mind is whether she can emulate the impressive major defenses like the ones of Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek in Melbourne and Paris. Gauff wants to move past her recent early eliminations and make history by being the first woman to retain her crown in New York since Serena Williams’s three consecutive victories from 2012 to 2014.
Gauff and Djokovic, last year’s champions, will headline Day 1′s schedule at the Flushing Meadow tennis complex. Additionally, fans can look forward to watching Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng face recent Toronto finalist Amanda Anisimova.
Gauff goes against Varvara Gracheva in the first round of the US Open
The first-round match between Gauf and Gracheva is scheduled for Monday, 26th August, with a start time not before 11:00 a.m. ET. Varvara Gracheva has only once made it past the first round at the US Open. Her chances don’t look good this time, as she has a tough first-round draw. However, the 24-year-old believes she can compete, especially after she took a set-off world number one Iga Swiatek in Cincinnati and reached the fourth round at the French Open this year – her best performance at a Grand Slam.
Gracheva can also take confidence from the recent form of Coco Gauff, the reigning US Open champion. Gauff has struggled lately, winning just one game across both recent events and claiming only one Singles title this year, in January.
Despite Gauff’s recent struggles, her number three ranking and positive memories at Flushing Meadows suggest she should still be expected to win in straight sets.