“I was having fun” – Coco Gauff recalled at a recent United Cup interview. The 20-year-old looked quite relaxed in their previous tie against Team Canada. She helped her nation clinch a 2-1 victory over the Canadians and now her next task is to showcase a similar brand of tennis against Croatia. Gauff is all set to face Croatia’s Donna Vekic in just a few hours from now on Day 5 of the 2025 United Cup. Who has the edge in this enticing encounter?

Coco Gauff vs Donna Vekic: Preview

Coco Gauff started the season on a winning note and ended the season in a similar fashion! She won three titles in the 2024 season, and the first one came at the ASB Classic. In Auckland, she defeated Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in the final and after that, we saw her making a SF run at the 2024 AO. Even in the French Open, Coco Gauff managed to reach the SF. However, her second title of the season came after a long wait at the China Open. Gauff ended the season on the highest note by winning the WTA Finals. She defeated China’s Qinwen Zheng in the final by 3-6,6-4,7-6(2). She’s entering this contest after her two-set win over Leylah Fernandez (CAN) in her previous match at the United Cup.

Donna Vekic on the other hand is entering this exciting battle after facing defeat at the hands of Leylah Fernandez in her previous match. Vekic has made quite a few deep runs in her previous tournaments this year, but she has failed to clinch a title in the 2024 season. She reached the SF of the Linz Open and after that, she also made it to the final of the Bad Homburg Open. However, she was defeated by Diana Shnairder (RUS) in the final by 3-6,6-2,3-6. Apart from that, Donna Vekic also reached the SF of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships, but over there she went down to Italy’s Jasmine Paolini.

Gauff vs Vekic: Head-to-Head

Coco Gauff and Donna Vekic have faced each other only once in their careers so far. Currently, the Croatian superstar has a 1-0 lead over the 20-year-old American in the H2H record.

• 2024 Paris Olympics R16: Vekic 7-6(7),6-2.

Prediction: Gauff to win in three sets

Coco Gauff ended her season quite emphatically and her WTA Finals triumph would now give her an enormous boost in confidence in the early phases of the 2025 season. If we take a look at her numbers, Coco Gauff (3) has a win-loss record of 54-17. In comparison, Donna Vekic (19) has a win-loss record of just 32-20! So, considering their run in the last twelve months we’re keeping Coco Gauff slightly ahead in this epic contest. However, we must not forget how Vekic’s incredible performance against the American in Paris. So, this match surely has all the ingredients to go deeper!

Now, looking at their playing styles, Coco Gauff is known for her incredible athleticism and excellent defensive game. She’s a “fighter” on the court and can generate real power behind her shots. Apart from that, she can mix up her shots pretty well and has the ability to win longer rallies. However, despite being a big server, she has had some issues with her serves in the last few months. Coco Gauff has hit 250 aces last season and committed 430 double faults! So, she needs to keep check on this in the 2025 season.

Donna Vekic on the other hand prefers a quick game where she can take advantage of flat shots. She loves hitting it hard and flat across both wings. Her major strengths are her big first serve and strong forehand. However, her weaknesses are her movements on the court and she has also struggled a bit with poor shot selection. Vekic needs to keep a check on the high percentage of unforced errors as well, in order to stand firmly against someone like Coco Gauff. Can she do it, though? Well, looks a bit difficult at the moment. Especially after seeing Gauff’s incredible performance against Fernadez.