Gauff Kicks Off US Open Title Defense with Easy Victory.

Posted 1 months ago

Defending champion Coco Gauff described this year's US Open as a "victory lap" after she cruised to an easy win over Varvara Gracheva in her first match.

Gauff, 20, began her title defense with a quick 6-2 6-0 win over Varvara Gracheva in just 66 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Last year, the American secured her first Grand Slam title by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final. She also reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open and French Open this year. However, she has faced recent struggles, including a third-round loss at the Paris Olympics and early exits in Cincinnati and Toronto.

Gauff acknowledged that the past few weeks have been "a little bit tough," but she felt her performance against Gracheva was "the best tennis I have played in a while." She credited a fan's comment on her TikTok account for helping shift her perspective as she approached the US Open.