Delray Beach's Coco Gauff youngest player to reach US Open quarterfinals in 13 years

NEW YORK — Coco Gauff jumped, bounced, gyrated, fist-pumped, wagged her finger Dikembe Mutombo-style and let out a series of squeals Sunday before a raucous crowd of 24,800 at Ashe Stadium.

The youngest player to reach the US Open quarterfinals in 13 years, all that is Gauff will be on stage again Tuesday night.

The Delray Beach phenom faces the red-hot Caroline Garcia, who won the last Open tuneup in Cincinnati. But this isn’t Ohio anymore.

“Let’s Go Coco’’ chants will reverberate inside the Flushing palace for the 18-year-old who is likeliest to take the torch from Palm Beach County neighbor, the retired Serena Williams.

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Coco and exhibition: Coco Gauff wins tennis exhibition at Delray Beach Open

“I just feed off of (the crowd),’’ Gauff said after she had beaten China’s  Shuai Zhang 7-5, 7-5. “I think it helps me more. For some players, they prefer a more chill, relaxed environment. If anyone has seen me play, I like to get pumped up. The New York crowd seems to like it, too. When the moment is right, sometimes I don't even know what my reaction is going to be after I win a point.

“I think New York is bringing out a side of me that I haven't had since I was 15, so it's nice.’’

Gauff lit up the interview room after the Round of 16 victory with her big smiles and giggles. She’s never been past the third round at the Open.

In the last game, after a long rally in which she bounded side to side to squeak out the point, Gauff raised her finger. She denied it was the Mutombo finger wag.

Instead, it’s a signature motion from hip-hop group, City Girls. ”It’s a City Girl Summer period,’’ she said.

“I wasn't thinking about Mutombo when I did that,’’ Gauff added. “I feel like a wall out there, she was running me so much. It's like, 'You can't get past me today.' ’’

It’s her fourth Open and, with Serena ousted for good, Gauff has become the most recognizable women’s player on the grounds.

“I would say the best part is experiencing personal reactions with people when you meet them,.’’ Gauff said. “Every time it just makes me take a step back. I feel like I never want to take this for granted, especially with kids. After my third-round match, (a girl), she started crying after I signed her ball. I gave her a hug. It just like almost brought me to tears, too. I never thought I would have such an impact on a person.’’

But she admitted “downsides’’ from the constant travel and being away from Delray, missing out on 18-year-old-tuype fun, including two concerts in August at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

“I think the ups outweigh the bad, Gauff said. “The only downside is I miss so many concerts at home. I miss The Weeknd. I missed Bad Bunny. I missed so many concerts. That's the only downside.’’

Instead it’s trying to appreciate the practice grind, even after a match.

After the intense two-hour bout Sunday, Gauff ‘s new coach, Diego Moyano went to the USTA scheduling desk to request two bundles of 50 balls and a practice court.

Before Gauff met the media, Diego took Gauff back out onto the court for 30 minutes of hitting – which is their new thing.

Moyano, a tennis pro from Boca Raton, was added to the Coco Team six months ago.  Coincidence or not, Gauff is playing her best tennis - she reached the French Open Finals in the spring.

Asked what the strategy of practicing minutes after a big match, Gauff said it wasn’t to gear up for Garcia.

“We just served really,’’ Gauff said. “It’s about more like the mental fitness of it all. I feel like practicing afterwards has prepped me mentally for these long matches. I think mentally it’s preparing me to play these second weeks. As I've played Grand Slams, I've noticed that physically it's never a problem for me, it's more about doing the mental with the press, dealing with everything.’’

Garcia, 10 years older than Coco and seeded 17th, pummels the ball but had struggled to tap her full potential. Until now. It’s both players’ first Open quarterfinal. Garcia has only made two Grand Slam quarterfinals her whole career.

“It depends on how Garcia handles the loud Ashe Stadium that’s 98 percent for Coco,’’ ESPN analyst Pam Shriver told The Palm Beach Post. “Garcia has been playing great, attacking tennis the past few months. Garcia has never been this confident but Coco played great the last two matches. Coco is the best mover in tennis. If her forehand and second serve hold up, she can win this if she handles her adrenaline.’’

Gauff sounds ready.

“When you play these players that are hot, I think it's more of a mental challenge,’’ Gauff said. ‘You just got to accept she's going to hit some great shots.’’

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Coco Gauff in US Open quarterfinals, playing Caroline Garcia