Coco Gauff returned to winning ways at Indian Wells on Saturday, albeit only just.
The world No. 3 secured her first win since the Australian Open, battling through a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4) victory over Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima.
Gauff was granted a first-round bye in the combined ATP Masters and WTA 1000 event, but it has not been plain sailing for the 2023 US Open champions as of late.
The 20-year-old entered Indian Wells on a three-game losing streak, having suffered a loss to Paula Badosa in the quarter-final at the Australian Open before back-to-back losses against Martha Kostyuk in Doha and McCartney Kessler in Dubai.
Gauff did what he needed to do in her opening match at the BNP Paribas Open in California, but Uchijima, ranked 52nd, was more than a worth adversary having previously defeated Britain’s Emma Raducanu in straight sets.
Gauff made 21 double faults — tied for the most she’s ever had in a match — and 74 enforced errors during the two hour, 33-minute contest against Uchijima.
She raced to a 4-0 lead in the third set, but struggled to close it out, failing to serve for the match twice.
Eventually, she sealed the win in a tense tiebreaker on her fifth match point.
“It’s been a rough couple of weeks, and I’m just happy to get a win on the court,” Gauff admitted said after the match. “It wasn’t my best tennis, but a win is a win.”
When asked why there were so many unforced errors and double faults, the American responded, “I mean, the unforced errors, I had to go bigger towards the end of the match, and even in the middle, because I felt like she would dictate so it’s kind of just take your chances.
“Then doubles, I’ve been in the practice of trying to fix things on my serve.”
However, she puts her Indian Wells rivals on notice, admitting that still being able to win while playing ‘D [grade] tennis’ was ultimately a promising sign.
“I don’t know. It was just an up-and-down process. It’s tough out there.
“But, I mean, if I’m able to win matches playing kind of like D tennis, then it gives me confidence just when I’m able to mesh things together like I did earlier this season.”
Gauff will now face Greece’s Maria Sakkari in the third round.
Sakkari defeated Gauff in last year’s Indian Wells semi-finals en route to her second final in three years.
Speaking about Monday’s matchup with Sakkari, Gauff added, “Last year, I felt like she was playing pretty aggressive.
“You know, every time I play her, it’s a tough match. She’s a very athletic player. Big on both sides. Same with the serve.
“Last year, I mean, that was such a long kind of day. It was rainy and we stopped and started so many times.
“But I think for me I guess my keys will just be to focus on my end of the court and accept that she’s going to hit some great shots,” Gauff went on.
“She’s a great player. I think just trying to focus on my end and be ready and know that it’s going to be a physical match.”
