US Open 2024: Coco Gauff fights back to earn comeback win over Elina Svitolina and storm into the fourth round

Coco Gauff survived her toughest test yet at this year’s US Open, coming back to defeat Elina Svitolina 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in the third round.

Gauff started the match by forcing a deuce from 0-40 on Svitolina’s serve. Although she would later lose the game, that run was indicative of the commitment she would later show and maintain her defense at the US Open.

Svitolina, the world number 28, was in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last month. Gauff weathered the turbulent moments well and became stronger as the match progressed.

“I knew it was going to be a tough game today,” Gauff said on the court afterward. “…She’s a fighter.”

At the beginning of this rally party, there was little difference between the players, as they both liked to stay on the baseline and rely on their ground shots.

Svitolina won the first set, but Gauff fought back and defeated her opponent at Arthur Ashe

That worked for both initially, as both players held serve through seven games. Gauff, however, had to overcome a few setbacks, avoiding three break points in her first three service games, including a 15-40 deficit that she recovered from when she was down 2-1.

Gauff then found herself in the opposite position, leading 40-15 with Svitolina serving at 3-3. However, she failed to capitalise on this and it wasn’t long before her opponent delivered the first blow of the match.

The Ukrainian broke Gauff completely in the next game, winning every point after the American missed three backhands in a row. There was little resistance soon after when she served for the set.

The second set began with Gauff in another dangerous position in the third game, when she trailed 15-30 on her serve.

But thanks to a winning backhand, which just crossed the line, she managed to recover and take a 2-1 lead.

She also escaped a catastrophic collapse two games later, when her serve began to falter after a few convincing points and a 40-15 lead turned into deuce.

However, there she dug in her heels to survive a breakup and eventually found an opening.

Perhaps the turning point of the match came at 30-30, when Gauff led 3-2. She hit a forehand down the line and let out a scream, along with the cheering New York crowd.

With this she managed to win an important break point and eventually also win the set. She hit a convincing ace past Svitolina and brought the match level again shortly after.

That momentum continued as she defeated Svitolina on her first chance in the third set, re-gaining a 4-1 lead and taking control of the match.

Yet her resolve was tested in the dying moments as she squandered one point in three games when serving at 5-2 – thanks in no small part to two straight double faults – before Svitolina earned a break and stayed alive.

She would not get any closer, however, as Gauff showed her championship qualities by beating her straight away in the next game and deciding the match in just over two hours.

She will then face either her compatriot Emma Navarro or Marta Kostyuk.