At just 19, Coco Gauff is making massive strides in the tennis circuit. She is enjoying one of the best seasons of her career with some big victories already in her kitty. Further, in the ongoing US Open, Gauff has made it to the quarterfinals and is looking to win her maiden Grand Slam title in front of her home fans. However, as her quarterfinal match was set to begin, rumors circulated on social media that she had been given an unfair advantage.

The American sensation is up against former French Open champion, Jelena Ostapenko, in the quarterfinals. But what possible advantage did Gauff exactly get ahead of her quarterfinal clash?

Coco Gauff makes a bizarre request

The 19-year-old has gone up first up today at the Arthur Ashe Stadium against Ostapenko. The match is taking in the afternoon when New York’s temperature has been soaring up drastically – a time that most players would seek to avoid at all costs. But it was rumored that Gauff made the unusual request to schedule her match in the hot and humid conditions.

‘The Tennis Podcast’, whose clip went viral on social media, broke this rumor. One of the hosts of the show said, “We understand on the rumor mill given that Coco Gauff isn’t in doubles action tomorrow that it was a request from Coco Gauff to play mid-day in the day session in full heat of the day because she believes, and probably quite rightly that she can cope it better than her opponent and probably better than any opponent tomorrow.”

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Gauff’s match is currently underway at Arthur Ashe Stadium. She has started the match with a bang, inflicting a bagel on Ostapenko. With one set up on her Latvian opponent, Gauff has started off strong. Further, with her indomitable run, the American star has already matched her idol, Serena Williams‘ unique record. It goes without saying that the teen sensation shouldering her country’s hopes will be looking to notch her maiden Grand Slam win.

Gauff emulates Serena Williams

23 years back, Serena Williams made a back-to-back quarterfinal appearance at the US Open in her teenage days. No other American teenager had achieved this feat in women’s singles after Serena, until Gauff’s performance this year. With her Round of 16 victory over Caroline Wozniacki, the 19-year-old matched her idol. In the process, she became the first American teenager in over two decades to make it to consecutive quarterfinal appearances at the US Open.

With a dominant start to her quarterfinal match, Gauff might just have potentially booked a semifinal spot for herself. This will be her best performance at her home Grand Slam tournament. With Gauff still being in her teenage days, more is yet to come as American fans prepare to rejoice again at the US Open.

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