How Simone Biles inspired tearful Coco Gauff to pass 'biggest test' in second-round US Open win – ‘She’s on my Mount Rushmore of athletes’

Coco Gauff battled more than just Donna Vekic in the second round of the US Open. The American was reduced to tears in a first set punctuated by seven double faults, but recovered to record a straight-set victory over her Croatian opponent. In a tearful post-match interview, Gauff thanked the crowd and the onlooking seven-time Olympic champion Simone Biles for helping her pull through.

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Coco Gauff credited seven-time Olympic champion Simone Biles for pulling her through a "tough" mental battle in her second-round win over Donna Vekic at the US Open.

The American broke down partway through a first set marked by both players struggling on serve, Gauff hitting seven double faults but eventually taking the advantage via a tie-break in a 7-6(5) 6-2 win.

Recomposing herself before the second set, Gauff returned to hit a solitary double fault and wrapped up the victory in front of a supportive Arthur Ashe Stadium.

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Amongst the crowd was Biles, who offered inspiration to her struggling compatriot during a fraught first set.

"She helped me pull it out," said Gauff. "I was thinking if she can go on a six-inch beam and do that with all the pressures of the world, then I can hit the ball in this court.

"It brought me a little bit of calm, just knowing her story with all the things she went through mentally. She is an inspiration and her presence definitely did help me today.

"She’s on my Mount Rushmore of athletes with Serena [Williams]. Everything she went through mentally is something I follow closely. To see her there tonight gave me the reminder I needed.

"I was lucky to just come from talking to her, so I was able to tell her that in person."

Gauff also showed her gratitude to the Flushing Meadows crowd, again reduced to tears as she told them that they brought her "so much joy".

"Honestly, today was a tough match for me. But I was just happy with the way I was able to manage. It's been a rough couple of weeks, but I'm just happy to be back on this court," said Gauff in her on-court interview.

"You guys bring me so much joy. Sorry," said Gauff, before pausing to compose herself. "Thank you. You guys really helped me a lot, so I'm doing this for myself and also doing it for you and no matter how tough it gets inside, you can do it.

"I've had some tough moments on this court. You guys pull me through each time, so I really do appreciate it.

"That first set was tough for me but you guys stayed cheering for me, so thank you. Honestly, I don't remember a lot of it at the end of the first set. But it's kind of amazing, I was able to get out of that one.

"But once I was able to reset and went to the bathroom, splash some water on my face, after that, I felt a lot better here.

"I've never felt like that on the court before," she added to ESPN.

It is not the first time Gauff has struggled with her service game and the American changed her coaching set-up in the wake of a defeat to Jasmine Paolini at the Cincinnati Open, which contained 16 double faults.

In response to her on-court tears, Gauff said that it makes her feel human.

"It feels human, I think," Gauff said later. "Being an athlete, people kind of disregard that side of us. People say, ‘You’re No. 3 in the world, you should be better.’

"But at the end of the day, if I didn’t pick up a racquet tomorrow, I’ve had a career so many would dream of. Basically, what you saw out there was what it was, and I was able to reset through it. It was a challenging moment for me on the court.

"It’s tough changing everything before such a big tournament. But I know for the future this is the right step forward, and this is the biggest test of them all. It will only get easier from here."

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