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US teen Gauff thanks fans after opening victory
Updated On: 29 August, 2019 09:51 AM IST | | AFP
"No matter where I was on the court, I could always hear somebody supporting me and I'm grateful for that." It was an atmosphere that forced Gauff to soak in the moment and accept the nervousness that followed
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Coco Gauff
New York: Wimbledon teen sensation Coco Gauff shook off nerves and rallied Tuesday to reach the second round of the US Open, defeating Russia's Anastasia Potapova 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. The 15-year-old American, who ousted idol Venus Williams on her way to the fourth round at Wimbledon, drew energy from a cheering crowd at Louis Armstrong Stadium to advance. "It was because of the crowd," Gauff said. "No matter where I was on the court, I could always hear somebody supporting me and I'm grateful for that." It was an atmosphere that forced Gauff to soak in the moment and accept the nervousness that followed.
"It was crazy," she said. "I was nervous going out on the court, such a big court, and my home Slam, I wanted to do well. It was a great atmosphere to play in and a great experience for me." Potapova, an 18-year-old also making her US Open main draw debut, jumped ahead 3-0 and took the first set. "I was like, 'I have to reset, stop thinking about what would happen after the match, just think about what I need to do to win the second set,'" Gauff said. She rolled to a 4-1 edge in the final set before Potapova fought back. "I wanted to win and I was trying to calm myself down," Gauff said.
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