It was a difficult night for Coco Gauff but the two-time major winner persevered.
Gauff, who has been beset by serving issues through two rounds at the U.S. Open, again struggled with double faults through a particularly trying first set, one she eventually won via a tiebreak. But it was far from easy. Gauff at one point, burdened by the weight of expectations and frustrated with her play, broke down into tears while sitting in her chair during a changeover.
After her triumph in the tiebreker, Gauff mentally reset and went on to win the second set 6-2 to win the match. One of the reasons for her victory?
The American tennis star said she was inspired by 11-time Olympic medalist Simone Biles, who was in attendance at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Thursday night.
When it mattered most on Thursday night, @CocoGauff drew inspiration from @Simone_Biles who was in attendance. pic.twitter.com/3BiNBfXLhu
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 29, 2025
"Honestly I saw her and honestly I don't know if she's up there but she helped me pull it out," Gauff said during an on-court interview after the match. "I was thinking ‘If she can go on a 6-inch beam and do that with all the pressure of the world, then I can hit the ball in this [court].' "
Biles, during a mid-match interview with ESPN, praised Gauff's character as something she really admires about the 21-year-old tennis star.
"I saw her late in the second [set] getting interviewed by ESPN," Gauff continued. "And yeah, it brought me a little bit of calm. Just knowing her story with all of the things she went through mentally. So she's an inspiration surely. And her presence definitely did help me today."
So naturally, it was only right that the two stars got together after the match.
The moment @CocoGauff met @Simone_Biles 🥹 pic.twitter.com/mbqh2kmTEY
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 29, 2025
Gauff, the 2023 US Open champion, will next face Magdalena Fręch in the third round at Flushing Meadows.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Coco Gauff Reveals How Simone Biles Inspired Her to Second Round U.S. Open Victory.
