Coco Gauff is launching another deep bid three years following her US Open victory. The fourth-seeded star overcame fellow young American Iva Jovic, aged 18, with a 6-1, 6-4 scoreline in a highly anticipated national matchup.
Fresh off a significant triumph against Alex Eala, Jovic initially seemed poised to test Gauff severely, as the teenager secured an early service break to start the match, aided by several unforced mistakes from the favorite.
Gauff instantly responded with a break of her own in the following game, capitalizing on consecutive netted shots from Jovic. The senior American then reeled off five consecutive games to claim the opening set 6-1, meeting little resistance from her younger opponent.
During the second set, Jovic appeared more settled, despite Gauff constantly threatening to break her serve. Gauff eventually forced the breakthrough in the fifth game by running Jovic across the baseline to gain a small advantage, though Jovic quickly neutralized it by breaking back in the subsequent game.
Showing great resilience, Gauff relied on stellar defense to sweep the final three games, breaking Jovic once more to secure the victory. This marks Gauff’s return to the US Open quarterfinals for the first time since she claimed the title back in 2023.
While Jovic demonstrated flashes of brilliance, Gauff largely dictated the flow of the match. The fourth seed dominated the statistical matchups, maintaining her run of consecutive straight-set wins in the tournament. In contrast, Jovic committed 12 unforced errors during the opening set and reached 30 overall; Gauff also dominated in winners by an 18 to nine margin and took 33 of 59 return points, while Jovic managed only 18 out of 50.
The contest was promoted as an established young phenom facing off against a rising prospect, with Jovic turning heads in only her third year competing on the major stage. Despite being just 22 years old, Gauff followed a comparable trajectory early on before capturing two Grand Slam titles and achieving global fame, a path many predict Jovic could mirror.
During her post-match comments, Gauff praised Jovic’s effort, describing her as an opponent who exhibits maturity well past her actual age.
“I am certain we will be facing each other in many more matches down the road,” Gauff noted.
For now, however, Gauff is the competitor advancing. Her next opponent in Tuesday’s quarterfinal match will be the 19-year-old Russian, Mirra Andreeva.
