[6] Coco Gauff is into her second major final, yet she did not expect to do this well at the US Open. That is what she admitted in her post-match conference. She also admitted that she still suffers from ‘imposter syndrome.’ It’s hard to believe, but I can relate. How we view ourselves is often more critical than how others view us.

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Coco Gauff Not At Her Best

Despite what you may think, Gauff did not play her best last night. Of note, neither did her opponent [10] Karolina Muchova. We have gotten to know the determination of Muchova and her ability to fight through any opposition. Last night she just was not there. The evidence was a slew of unforced errors, especially at critical moments. Thus, realize if she was at her best, it could have turned out differently. Still, Gauff did what champions do, find a way to win even when not at their best.

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Gauff Was Feeling The Pressure

There is no doubt that the young American, and yes, we forget she is still a teenager, was also feeling the pressure. She served in the first set at 5-1 to win the set and was broken. She served at 5-3 and again was broken. Imagine what could have happened if Muchova was playing at her best. If the pressure of the moment was not enough to rattle the players, they had to deal with three protesters in the audience that caused a substantial delay at the beginning of the second set.

Muchova Stepped Up Her Game

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The break in play helped the Czech player to marshal her faculties, and she played much better in the second set. However, she was still broken in the latter stages. Once again, Gauff failed to serve it out and was broken. The one area we have control in a tennis match is our serve. When we are struggling, it is often the first thing to go awry. Gauff got through this match 6-4, 7-5, but her next opponent, [2] Aryna Sabalenka, will not go down so tamely.

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