Gauff forecasts a showdown against Andreeva at the US Open

It's hard to think of a bigger favorite than Coco Gauff to lift the title at the US Open 2026. The American tennis player just won the WTA Cincinnati, and in New York, she is extending her good streak after dominating a tough opponent like Iva Jovic to make it to the quarter-finals without dropping a set. Now she will play for a spot in the semi-finals against Mirra Andreeva, a match she believes will be decided by small details.

The Russian player still doesn't know what it's like to beat the American in the five encounters they have had, but most of the matches have been decided by key moments, and that's something Gauff is very aware of, admitting in a press conference that she recognizes the danger she faces. Additionally, she highlighted that she doesn't feel pressure from being in the quarter-finals, as she has gotten used to it over the years after being a regular in these stages of tournaments.

Gauff analyzes her current form and resilience

It's always great when you can play your best tennis when the points are tighter and you're able to come back. Obviously, I would prefer to have a break advantage and maintain it, but that's not tennis. It's a back-and-forth game. I think I'm doing a good job when I lose opportunities or lose some games, I just leave it in the past and focus on the present, and I think that’s the most important. Sometimes I don't see it as lost opportunities. I try to look at it as something I can improve on and trust that I will find myself in the same position again.

A show of affection for Jovic after a tough loss

Yes, I remember when I was that age, every loss was so disappointing and every victory so euphoric. You learn from losses. I don’t know, she seems a bit, it gives me the impression, more mature than I was at 18, but I feel that sometimes losses felt very disappointing to me. So I think it's important for her to know that she's playing at a good level of tennis, and I just happened to be the one to come out on top today, but obviously sometimes experiences matter. I also played well when I was young, so it doesn’t always matter. Sometimes it does matter, and you simply learn those lessons and know that there will be many more fourth rounds and quarter-finals, and that she will take advantage of those moments next time.

Next match against Mirra Andreeva

It's another tough match. Mirra is someone I always have complicated matches with. They have leaned in my favor, but I think it’s similar to Karolina, that every match could have gone either way. I think I only remember one of them that might have been easy here, and that was about three years ago when I was very young. Now she has a different mindset, at the top of her game after winning a Grand Slam. 

I hope she approaches the match in a completely different way than she did before. It's going to be a very athletic and tough match. I hope to capitalize on my opportunities when they arise. She serves well, is very athletic, and plays similarly. We play similarly. She can defend. She can attack. She can do everything well on the court. I think it will all come down to who can hold on longer in those decisive moments. Yes, it will undoubtedly be decided in the final moments.

Gauff reveals what she does before playing an important match

I just appreciate it. I don’t know how to say it without mentioning that, for me, reaching the quarter-finals is something usual. I feel like I'm already used to being in this position. I constantly reach the quarter-finals, so the moment doesn’t feel as significant anymore. That doesn’t mean I’m very lucky to play, to be here in the quarter-finals. Obviously, I hope to play many more, so I think it’s about finding the balance between appreciating the moment and enjoying it. I think many people would love to reach the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam, but I also know that I have found myself in this position so many times that I should almost be used to it.

Improvements in her forehand

I simply have tried to improve my footwork towards the stroke has made the difference. I feel like I hit it very well in the first set. Then my coach reminded me how well I hit it in that 4-4 game. I think from there I hit it well again. It’s about knowing that in training I’m executing it well, and
I’m starting to execute it very well in matches. Honestly, I feel like that's what happens when you have a weakness and over the years everyone starts hitting it, and you have no choice but to improve.

So I appreciate it, because I feel that in every match I hit more forehands than backhands, so I'm improving. Honestly, I was thinking in training that sometimes I feel like I need to practice my backhand more because it's a side that people tend to avoid. Yes, I think it’s one of those shots that will only improve with experience and confidence, and when I trust it, I feel like I hit it very well.

Serve and volley with match point

It's funny. Before serving, I thought: Either I’m going to love this or I’m going to regret it. The truth is maybe I should do it more often. I did it a lot at Wimbledon, and I think the grass gave me a bit more confidence, because I feel like on grass, if you don’t even hit the volley well, it falls short. I think I didn’t serve and come to the net once during the entire match, so I don’t know why I decided to do it on match point. The idea just came to my head, and I thought: you know what?, why not? I did it, and it worked. Yes, I don't know if it shows my confidence or just the
ideas that come to my mind at match point. The truth is I don't have a concrete answer, just that it occurred to me and I did it.

Level of confidence

It’s my nervous system and knowing that even under pressure, I can rely on many different things to win points in many different ways. I think that gives me confidence, knowing that probably up to now, I have a plan D. I think there’s comfort in having options. If plan A doesn’t work, there's B, there's C, and there's D. I think that’s something that calms me down. Just knowing that if none of them work, then I have to head back to the practice court and I can walk away with my head held high. I think the biggest difference I’ve noticed, the difference in my game, is trying to play without regrets, and I think I have much more fun and more success playing that way.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Gauff augura una guerra contra Andreeva en el US Open