Coco Gauff Credits Simone Biles Sitting in Crowd for Comeback Round 2 Win at US Open

Simone Biles is one of the most inspiring athletes in recent sports history, and she inspired from the crowd during Coco Gauff's 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory over Donna Vekić in the second round of the U.S. Open on Thursday.

"She helped me pull it out," Gauff said after the win. "I was just thinking: If she could go on a six-inch beam and do that, with all the pressures of the world, then I can hit the ball. ... It brought me a little bit of calm, just knowing her story, with all the things she went through mentally. She's an inspiration, surely."

Gauff was emotional during and after the match as she fought through double-fault concerns. 

Seven of her eight double-faults came in the opening set, although she still managed to force a tiebreaker and eventually win it. Howard Fendrich of the Associated Press noted the American recently hired biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan to help with her serve, but it is something of a work in progress.

Few would know what it is like competing on such a stage in individual sports while trying to perfect one's technique better than Biles, and she praised Gauff for her grace and humility during an interview.

"She's incredible, amazing," Biles said. "… It's such a privilege to watch her on home soil."

Fendrich explained that Gauff's 300 double-faults this season is the highest total on tour, which was notable since she lost at the U.S. Open a year ago with 19 double-faults. MacMillan helped No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka's serve in the past, so there is a blueprint to follow.

As for Biles, she persevered through doubts and questions at times during her career, especially after she withdrew from multiple events during the 2020 Olympics because of mental health.

Yet she returned to the Games in Paris in 2024 and won gold in the women's team event, women's all-around and women's vault competitions to go with a silver in the women's floor exercise despite dealing with a calf injury at times.

She is widely considered the greatest gymnast in the sport's history, but she was a major storyline in the tennis world Thursday.