Coco Gauff tops Caroline Wozniacki to make US Open quarterfinals

Publish date: 2024-08-24

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Coco Gauff and Caroline Wozniacki easily were the two pronounced crowd favorites on the women’s side throughout the first week of the U.S. Open — one an up-and-coming American star full of promise and the other an incredibly popular former top-ranked player returning from a three-year hiatus to start a family.

Bridging the generations at opposite ends of their careers, they faced each other for the first time Sunday at Arthur Ashe Stadium with a coveted spot in the quarterfinals and additional fan adulation on the line.

The 19-year-old Gauff required a third set for the third time in four matches in the tournament, but her quest for a first career Grand Slam title moved one step closer to realization following a mostly sharp 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory over the 33-year-old Wozniacki to reach the quarters at Flushing Meadows for a second straight year.

The No. 6 seed will face Saturday’s winner between top-seeded reigning champion Iga Swiatek and No. 20 Jelena Ostapenko in one of the night’s marquee matches on Ashe.

And the New York crowd will fully be behind Gauff for that one.

Coco Gauff defeated Caroline Wozniacki on Sunday afternoon in three sets. Robert Sabo for NY Post

“I have confidence in myself that I can go even further,” Gauff said after the match. “Being an American playing here, they’re backing you. So, they backed me today a lot. Had some chants going on in the stadium, which was really nice.”

“Obviously, the night sessions are, I think, even more electric. But the crowd doesn’t really compare to any of the other Slams.”

Wozniacki — the former No. 1 player in the world out of Denmark — retired in 2020 and had two children during her time off with her husband, former Knicks forward David Lee.

The two-time US Open finalist returned to the game in June and thrilled the crowds at Billie Jean King National Tennis Center as a wild-card entry last week, including posting wins over No. 11 seed Petra Kvitova and American Jennifer Brady.

“Caroline, she is back. It’s like she never left. The level she played today is amazing. She gets to a lot of balls,” Gauff said. “She’s been an inspiration for me growing up. To be on the court with her was an honor.”

Gauff struggled to get to the finish line twice in the first three rounds, dropping the first set in her opening match against Laura Siegemund while also needing three sets to survive the third round against No. 32 Elise Martens.

Caroline Wozniacki hits a return to Coco Gauff in the fourth round match of the U.S. Open. Robert Sabo for NY Post

Gauff, the 2022 French Open finalist, overcame two break points to even the second set at 2-2.

But a Wozniacki backhand winner on a subsequent break point gave her a 5-3 lead and the opening she needed to serve it out, forcing a third set.

The veteran former champion initially maintained the momentum on an unforced error into the net by Gauff on break point in the opening game of the decisive set.

But a backhand volley at the net by Gauff and two unforced errors by Wozniacki enabled Gauff to break right back and level the set.

“That was the turning point. I showed that I was still in the match after breaking back,” Gauff said. “I really started going for my shots.”

Coco Gauff is moving on to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open, facing either No. 1 Iga Swiatek or No. 21 Jelena Ostapenko. Robert Sabo for NY Post

Wozniacki also sent two errors into the net on her next service game, enabling Gauff to seize a 3-1 lead.

That game also featured a short-hopped shot by Gauff that hit the top of the net and landed on the other side, causing Wozniacki to throw her hands up in disbelief.

Wozniacki had a 30-40 chance to work her way back on serve, but Gauff ran down a cross-court ball down the right sideline for a passing winner for deuce as the crowd roared.

She then smashed a volley at the net on ad-point for a 4-1 cushion that Wozniacki could not overcome as her surprising comeback run came to an end.

“With these events that I came back to play this year, I wanted to see where I was tennis-wise and physically,” Wozniacki said. “I think my game is pretty good and I can beat anybody on a given day.

“But I think Coco obviously is playing more through her forehand and winning more on a consistent basis. I think right now it’s all coming together for her.”

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