US Open: Superb Coco Gauff too good for Mirra Andreeva as she powers into third round

The world No 6 was in full flight in front of her home crowd, overpowering Andreeva to win 6-3 6-2

Icon SMI / Panoramic

Jamie Malachy

August 30, 2023

US Open •Second round • completed

See draw

M. AndreevavsC. Gauff

Coco Gauff has reached the third round of the US Open by overcoming the prodigious teenage talent of Russian Mirra Andreeva 6-3, 6-2 in day three’s opening match on Arthur Ashe.

Despite Andreeva’s best efforts, there was little she could do to stop the Cincinnati champion, who was at her majestic full-flight best in front of an adoring home crowd.

The Russian came out of the blocks quickly, breaking Gauff in the opening game for what was the only blemish on the American’s performance today.

Clicincal Coco too strong for Andreeva

From that point on, it was all Gauff as the world No 6 deployed the full use of weaponry at her disposal, unleashing power off both wings and chasing down any hint of a loose ball from Andreeva to impose maximum pressure on her young opponent throughout the contest.

Winning four games in a row to earn back the break and then nudge a break ahead for a 4-1 lead, it was clear that Gauff’s game was working at optimal efficiency on a warm and sunny day at Flushing Meadows.

She served out the opener with little trouble, before moving an early break up in the second set to leave Andreeva’s back firmly up against the wall.

There were flashes of the prodigious brilliance that the young Russian is more than capable of, with some extended rallies showing Andreeva’s ability to go toe-to-toe at such a young age with one of the fittest and most athletic players in the sport.

However, today Gauff was too strong for the 16-year-old, hitting a total of 24 winners to her opponent’s seven.

The American gained another break in the seventh game of the second set as the last of Andreeva’s resistance finally broke, before she comfortably served out a thoroughly impressive win.

Fellow teenage phenomenon Gauff full of praise for Andreeva

This match was in stark contrast to the tight and nervy third-round encounter at Roland-Garros the pair played in June, with Gauff narrowly winning in three close sets.

“I learned to be aggressive,” the American said in her post-match on-court interview moments after clinching the win.

“I think she’s the type of player that if you give her something, she’s going to take advantage. Today I did well to make her play off her back foot.”

There are parallels between the two players, as Gauff was just 15 years old when she burst onto the scene with a run to the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2019 – dispatching Venus Williams along the way to catapult her into the status of ‘future great’.

Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, Roland-Garros 2023 – © AI / Reuters / Panoramic

The current world No 6 had warm words of encouragement for Andreeva, whom Gauff was clearly impressed by.

“Mirra has a great future ahead of her. I’ve been in her position before, so hopefully you guys can continue to support her and I think she’s going to be back on this stage many times more in the future.

“When I was younger, I used to think that every match was life or death… You still have to allow yourself time to make mistakes. And the losses, as long as you learn from them, they’re OK.”

This was a business-like and professional performance from Coco Gauff, who looks every bit a player who is competing with the full intention of taking the title.

She will next face the winner of the match between Belgian Elise Mertens and fellow American Danielle Collins as she continues her bid for a maiden Grand Slam title.

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New York (Grand Slam), other second-round results (USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, hard, USD 44.700.000, most recent results first):