“I have to work on consistency. overall,“ is what Coco Gauff was forced to admit after a disappointing defeat in the Cincinnati Open. The WTA star, who once used to rule the hard-courts, is now seen consistently struggling to regain her strength. While tennis analysts, former pros as well as fans are busy figuring out the aspects that need to be worked on, Jim Courier came forward to reveal another scare. The 53-year-old recently discussed an external factor that is common in both Cincinnati as well as courts of Flushing Meadows. Will this lead to the failure of the US Open title defense?

Recently, tennis analysts Jim Courier and Brett Haber spoke about the unique playing conditions at the Cincinnati Open. Besides all other aspects that make it a tough ground, their attention mainly revolved around the Court Pace Index (CPI). The CPI is a measurement that helps players understand how quickly the surface plays by assessing the ball’s speed before and after it hits the court.

Looking at the ongoing event, the CPI is 42 out of 50, which is considered relatively fast. Officials from the upcoming US Open have confirmed that the court speed at Flushing Meadows will be similar, suggesting that Cincinnati is a good preparation ground for the final Grand Slam of the year.

Defending champion Gauff recently faced an unexpected defeat in the second round as she lost to Yulia Putintseva in a three-set match 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. This defeat came as a big shock, considering Gauff’s strong performance at the same venue a year ago, which helped her set sail for the first-ever grand slam title of her career. Gauff’s defeat has raised more concerns about her future participation, as she is now 1-2 in her North American hard-court matches.

On the men’s side, Carlos Alcaraz had a difficult start due to weather conditions. The reigning Wimbledon and French Open champion was scheduled to play against Gael Monfils and was leading 6-4, 6-6 (1/3) when rain interrupted the match. The Spaniard also skipped last week’s tournament in Montreal as he needed some time to relax after a stressful run at the Paris Olympics. As he is now back to resume his run in Cincinnati, it is crucial for him to perform well, considering a comeback from Miami last year.

However, this isn’t the only challenge that Alcaraz could face on his run for the US Open title. Former tennis pro Andy Roddick recently mentioned that Alcaraz struggles to maintain peak performance in extremely hot and humid conditions. “The only kind of thing that is a massive stress test for him is his ability to play in super hot and super swampy conditions,” he said.

With similar CPI conditions expected at the US Open, these challenges might affect the performance of both Gauff and Alcaraz as they head into the tournament later this month. Besides the challenges, the hardships that Gauff had to go through seem to have brought a positive impact as well.

US Open authorities announce big update post-Coco Gauff’s unsatisfactory loss at the Paris Olympics

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) has made a major announcement that could bring an end to controversial line calls in tennis. The USTA decided to expand the use of VAR technology at the US Open after a series of trials conducted last year. Back in 2023, this technology was available on five courts for the main draw matches. However, it will now be expanded to eight courts in the upcoming edition of the event, a decision taken to cover most matches.

US Open tournament referee Jake Garner spoke about the expansion and said, “We assessed the process and the infrastructure needs, and we felt that going to eight courts this year was the right move. It covers about 75% of our singles matches.” VAR allows players to raise a call against three incorrect challenges per set and one for tiebreaks.

If a challenge is called, an official in the review room ought to send captured images to the chair umpire. The chair umpire then goes through the footage and makes the final decision. While Gauff has been through such moments in the past where she faced controversial calls, this addition will create a space for more accurate decisions. She experienced a bout with controversial calls in French Open and the Paris Olympics, and she will be happy to witness implementation to overcome the issue.