Coco Gauff shared her thoughts on one of the new rules introduced for the 2024 US Open.
The American Grand Slam is not afraid to try new things and this year they have introduced something that greatly benefits the fans.
The 20-year-old entered Flushing Meadows as the defending champion and there were plenty of question marks surrounding her form after losing back-to-back matches before arriving in New York.
But Gauff begun her US Open title defence in emphatic fashion and is aiming to continue in this vein through the tournament.
What did Coco Gauff say about the US Open’s new free fan movement rule?
In 2024 the US Open introduced a rule in which fans will have more freedom of movement during matches.
There are areas of the stadium where fans can access their seats after each game, not just during changeovers and set breaks, and areas that allow fan access at all times.
Coco Gauff commented on this during her post-match conference and is happy that the rule is enhancing fan experience but not at the expense of the players.
“It doesn’t really bother me. There are sometimes when somebody is wearing a white shirt or something, and only today I told my opponent to wait for a second, for this person to sit down but usually it doesn’t bother me,” the US Open’s number three seed said.
“Sometimes it is weird when there is so many people because then there are people coming on the side and the back but I think for me whatever, for the fan experience I think it’s fine.
“Umpires are pretty accommodating to wait until they sit down. That’s all that matters. As long as the umpire stays accommodating when players want to wait.
“I think the fan experience is important and those three games can go like 20 minutes, so I think it’s a great thing. Umpires have been accommodating and as long as they continue I don’t think it will be a problem among players and fans.”
Coco Gauff’s returns to winning ways with US Open first round win
There was plenty of pressure on Gauff heading into her first US Open match, not only because she is the home favourite or defending champion, but also her poor form.
Since Wimbledon she has not progressed beyond the fourth round at any event and fans and pundits were concerned for Gauff ahead of the US Open, the biggest tournament of her season.
While there will be tougher tests to come, Gauff needed a strong opening win and she did just that by dispatching Varvara Gracheva 6-2, 6-0.
Gauff has now won 15 main-draw matches at the US Open and she is the youngest woman to do so since Caroline Wozniacki achieved this feat in 2010.
“I thought I played well today,” she told reporters post-match. “I served well. Can’t ask for a better start into this tournament, so I hope to continue to get better as the week, two weeks go by.
“This week I just felt like I was really finding my game. I was confident going in today. I knew based on how I was practicing I can find my game regardless of the scoreline. Then it’s just about executing.”
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