Coco Gauff, the defending champion, faced a challenging match but secured her spot in the U.S. Open fourth round with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over Elina Svitolina on August 30, 2024. Gauff, the third seed, initially struggled against the determined Ukrainian, dropping the first set after Svitolina broke her serve and won the final 11 points. However, Gauff rallied by playing more aggressively and minimizing errors, especially on her backhand, to take control of the match in the second and third sets.
Gauff's victory was highlighted by a critical 37-shot rally in the third set that energized the crowd and solidified her momentum. She eventually closed out the match after breaking Svitolina's serve at love in the final game.
Next, Gauff will face American Emma Navarro, who defeated her in the fourth round of Wimbledon last month. Reflecting on that loss, Gauff acknowledged her mental collapse and emphasized the need to remain focused and aggressive from start to finish in their upcoming match.
Meanwhile, the American contingent at the U.S. Open saw a reduction as 2017 finalist Madison Keys lost a close battle to Belgian Elise Mertens, 6-7(5), 7-5, 6-4. Keys, who reached the semifinals last year, couldn't capitalize on her opportunities in the final set, allowing Mertens to advance to the next round, where she will face either Aryna Sabalenka or Ekaterina Alexandrova.
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