US OPEN: Coco Gauff Comes from a set down to beat Elise Mertens, reaches round 16 

Coco Gauff advanced to the Round of 16 at the US Open after coming from a set down to defeat Belgium’s Elise Mertens 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 in the third round on Friday night.

The 19-year-old extended her active winning streak to eight matches. Gauff has been the hottest player on hard-court this summer, sweeping the two biggest titles of her career in Washington D.C. and Cincinnati. She has now won 14 of her last 15 matches.

“She’s the type of player where she steps in, if you give her something short, especially on the backhand side, he was doing well of attacking on that end,” Gauff said. “Even on the forehand she was being aggressive.

“I think in the second I tried to keep her playing back and off her back foot, also coming in a little bit more so she knew I wasn’t going to stay back every time she was playing defense.”

The world No.6 is into her second consecutive US Open Round of 16. She posted her best result in New York last year, advancing to the quarterfinals.

“I think maybe that could have been a match that I could have lost in the past, especially breaking her, then immediately getting broken back,” Gauff said. “I’m figuring out these situations, making it easier and easier as the matches go.”

Gauff also earned her first tour-level win at 2019 Wimbledon. Wozniacki retired seven months later after the 2020 Australian Open.

She next faces Caroline Wozniacki for the first ever meeting both players for a quarter finals spot.