Coco Gauff celebrates winning the ASB Classic. Photo / Photosport
Coco Gauff celebrates winning the ASB Classic. Photo / Photosport
Coco Gauff is the queen of Auckland once again – but her coronation took some work.
The American dynamo was pushed to the limit by second seed Elina Svitolina in the ASB Classic final, coming back from a set down to prevail 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3 in two hoursand 35 minutes.
The 19-year-old Gauff becomes just the fourth women’s player to go back to back in Auckland, since the inception of the WTA event in 1980. It’s the first time she has successfully defended at title – and certainly won’t be the last.
Svitolina earned herself more admirers, across a tournament where she has featured in the three best matches of the week.
In a match of fine margins, Gauff’s ability to make her opponent find another shot was ultimately the difference.
For pure quality, this was the best women’s decider in ASB Classic history. There have been some great ones over the years – notably the three-set epic between Ana Ivanovic and Venus Williams in 2014, as well as the contest between the veteran American and Caroline Wozniacki a year later.
But this was a different level. Two players at their peak, who pushed each other to new heights. It was the kind of match that belonged in the latter stages of a grand slam and will live long in the memory of everyone who witnessed it.
On several occasions Svitolina looked down and out – after her exertions of the past week, with more than eight hours on court – but each time she found something. Gauff got the wobbles – an almost unprecedented sight in Auckland – but was able to reset.
Coco Gauff in action during the final against Elina Svitolina. Photo / Photosport
From the start the quality was obvious. In the first game Gauff had to battle through an extended rally, longer than anything she had had this week, while the extra pace that Svitolina could generate cut down her time.
But the American grabbed the early advantage, showing her court smarts. Svitolina almost ended up in a corporate box chasing an impossibly angled shot, before Gauff’s defensive skills engineered the break in the next rally.
But Svitolina was here to play, not intimidated by the 19-year-old on the other side of the net, and broke back immediately. She was pushing the limits with her shots landing closer and closer to the lines – but the depth forced Gauff into mistakes.
A brilliant rally followed, as Svitolina conjured an impossible lob from nowhere that left the American applauding.
But Svitolina looked under more pressure and was broken again in the eighth game. Gauff seemed on course, whacking a thunderous forehand, before a cry of “C’mon”, for two set points.
From nowhere though, she lost her serving radar, while Svitolina stepped up with some courageous play, in the circumstances. She then broke back with the point of the tournament, finished with a sumptuous volley after Gauff had strained to retrieve a drop shot.
Elina Svitolina plays a shot against Coco Gauff. Photo / Photosport
That was the turning point. Svitolina got confident, while Gauff dipped. The American still fought – saving two set points in the tiebreaker – before Svitolina finally sealed the set after 63 minutes.
Gauff shrugged that off, securing a break in the opening game of the next set, as she forced herself to lift. The American managed a tough hold at 3-1 up – showing fortitude to save two break points – and looked on course from there.
There was another twist, as Svitolina came back but the top seed levelled the match with her third set point, though got a bit fortunate with a net cord in the preceding rally.
Svitolina had a medical timeout early in the final set but didn’t seem to slow down. Gauff saved two break points at 2-2 and games went with serve until the eighth, with the pressure began to tell on the Ukraine player, worn down by Gauff’s capacity to return almost everything with interest.
She got a bit loose – and Gauff had the break, with the chance to serve for the set. Gauff made no mistake, finding the serves when she needed to claim another title.
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns.
