Coco Gauff kicked off the 2025 season with a win after beating Leylah Fernandez 6-3 6-2 in the opening match of the United States and Canada tie at the United Cup.
ADVERTISEMENT
From start to finish, the world No. 3 was in full control of the match and she ended up completing the win in an hour and 36 minutes.
What's especially encouraging is that Gauff delivered a pretty strong serving display in her first match of the season after battling some major issues on her serve throughout last year.
During the match, the 2023 US Open champion won 87 percent of her first serve points - faced break points in only one game - and saved both of those opportunities.
Now, Taylor Fritz has a chance to seal the win for the United States by beating Felix Auger-Aliassime in the following clash.
If Fritz loses, he and the top-ranked American female tennis player will return to the court for the deciding mixed doubles match.
ADVERTISEMENT
How Gauff ousted Fernandez?
Right out of the gate, the world No. 3 started pressing the 2021 US Open runner-up - she didn't convert her first break point in the opening game but went up by a break two games later.
In the sixth game, Fernandez had a chance to get the break back but the American successfully saved two consecutive break points to go 4-2 up.
In the rest of the set, Gauff routinely held on to her serve to close out the opener.
Just like in the first set, the 20-year-old earned an early break and went 3-0 up.
Later, the American opened a 5-2 lead - and with Fernandez serving to stay in the match - she collected her third break of the match to get the job done in straight sets.
ADVERTISEMENT
It was the first meeting between the world No. 3 and the 31st-ranked Canadian.
