TENNIS: Coco Gauff has issued a frightening warning to her rivals after steering the star-studded Team USA into the United Cup quarterfinals for a third straight year. Straight-set victories for Gauff and fellow big gun Taylor Fritz in Perth on Tuesday earned the Americans an unbeatable 2-0 lead in their tie with Croatia. Champions two years ago, Team USA topped Group A and will return to RAC Arena on Wednesday night to face China for a semifinal berth.
The Stars and Stripes are hot favourites to go all the way after living up to their top-seeded billing. Fresh off his finest season yet, when he reached his maiden grand slam final at the US Open and also lost to world number one Jannik Sinner in the ATP Finals decider, the fourth-ranked Fritz blasted past Borna Coric 6-3 6-2 to seal the USA’s passage to the last eight. Gauff then underlined the Americans’ title favouritism with a vengeful 6-4 6-2 win over Donna Vekic as Croatia finished the tournament empty-handed after also losing their opening tie to Canada.
The world number three lost to Vekic at the Paris Olympics before the Croat wound up with a silver medal but was no match for Gauff in their rematch. “Really happy with how I played today,” Gauff said. Still only 20, Gauff is already a grand slam champion and finished the 2024 regular season in stunning fashion, adding the WTA Finals crown to the China Open title she won a month earlier.
But she’s not content. In an ominous warning ahead of next month’s Aust.
