Coco Gauff runs roughshod over Varvara Gracheva at the US Open

Coco Gauff might not win the US Open playing the way she did in the first round against Varvara Gracheva, but she also wasn't truly challenged by the Frenchwoman. During her run to victory in the 2023 US Open, Gauff appeared to rise to - and one notch better - than her opponents. She outran and outhit everyone.

Heading into this year's tournament, Gauff was playing some of the worst tennis she has in more than a year. She hasn't made the quarterfinals of any event in two months. While she knows she can win in New York, she has not been playing as if she knows that. She will still certainly face greater tests than Gracheva.

To begin the match, Gauff struggled to put Gracheva away. She got a couple of breaks in the first set but she was also pushed in her own service games. The issue was as much the American and the Frenchwoman. Gauff had five double faults in the first set, though when she did land her first serve in he was overpowering.

Coco Gauff easily moves on to the second round at the US Open

Gracheva's body language seemed to imply she knew the match was over well before the final point. She had some fire at the onset but after the breaks began to multiply, she appeared to know her run in singles in New York was going to be short-lived. She isn't a bad player, but she does not have the game to be able to defend an attacking Gauff.

Gauff got another break to start the second set and even the crowd knew that Gauff moving into the second round was a certainty. Nothing Gracheva could do would stop that and she did not have the versatility of her game to truly contend. Gauff won 6-2 6-0.

Gauff's first real test at the US Open might not come until the third round where she might potentially face Elina Svitolina. At least, Svitolina has the experience to battle with Gauff. She can also hit with power. She does not have Gauff's athleticism, but she is a real threat to defeat the American.

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