Sloane Stephens has defeated Coco Gauff in their official match ever.
Gatekeepers News reports that 2017 champion Sloane Stephens has defeated Coco Gauff 6-4, 6-2 at the ongoing US Open.
Three years ago, Sloane Stephens pointed out Gauff as the younger tennis player most fans might not have heard of yet, someone that could become a household name someday. Coco Gauff was only 14 then.
Stephens who first met Gauff several years earlier clearly knew what she was talking about.
Although the 38-year-old defeated Gauff at their first meeting on Wednesday, the pair shared a warm hug at the end of the game.
Afterwards, Stephens praised the 17-year-old player for the person she has become, “I love Coco. I think everyone knows I love Coco. At the end of the match, I said, ‘I love you.’ She’s such a great player and I feel so lucky to have seen her grow up and play since she was 8.”
“I know there’s going to be great things ahead for her.”
Gauff has briefly displayed the varied skills that helped her to that point and others on big stages, including twice against Venus Williams, and a run to the Roland Garros quarterfinals in June.
Stephens on the other hand was quite simply as she moved from 4-all at the outset to claim eight of the remaining 10 games, with a performance largely built with the terrific placement of her serves and stinging forehands.
“The forehand,” she said, “was key today.”
The 66 seed who was two points from losing to good friend Madison Keys on Monday in a rematch of their 2017 final in New York, earlier won 39 of 49 points she served — an 80% rate — and saved the lone break point she faced.
Stephen was able to handle her younger opponent – Gauff’s faster serves adroitly, breaking three times.
Gauff on her part said, “Obviously, I have a lot of respect for Sloane. Looked up to her for a while. Known her since I was little, but I don’t think our relationship affected the match.”
