Early-round all-American matchups of note may be a boon to the fans flooding the U.S. Open grounds and to the television audience, but this game of tennis survivor does no favors to those desiring marquee showcases in the later rounds.
Somehow, with neither meriting a tournament seed (and yes, that’s how), Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys hooked up in the first round Monday, christening Arthur Ashe Stadium.
That meant one crowd-pleaser or another was guaranteed to be sent home a couple of hours into the tournament. Call it the tough luck of the draw, and Keys was excused from the Queens grounds after losing a third-set tiebreak to Stephens, her best friend on tour and her conqueror from the 2017 final.
Keys is a favorite at Flushing Meadows. So is Stephens. But the most popular, magnetic and likely most promising young American here — on either the male or the female side — is Coco Gauff, the 17-year-old who captured the imaginations of fans by advancing to the third round two years ago, before her wild-card run was stopped by Naomi Osaka in straight sets on Ashe in a match that ended with the young women in an emotional embrace.
Gauff has advanced to the second round in this Open by defeating Magda Linette in three sets on Monday after dropping the first set. Gauff was urged on by a enthusiastic cheering section that included not only Nets coach Steve Nash, but also all of Louis Armstrong Stadium. She’s all about charisma.
Coming up next for Gauff on Wednesday? Why, Stephens, naturally. In the first night match of the day at Ashe, naturally. So, within the first three days of the United States’ national championship, two of the three of the country’s most popular players who are at the event will have been dismissed.
Of course, it is not the fault of the USTA seeding committee that Stephens was ranked 66th in the world entering the event. Neither is it the officials’ fault that Keys was ranked 42nd.
Still, it is a tough way to go, certainly in a year in which the Open is without much of the sport’s marquee power. Again, this type of matchup provides spice to the early portion of the draw, but not without cost as the tournament continues, the same way tournaments ultimately suffer following a rush of early upsets.
And it will be a tough matchup for Gauff, who has never faced Stephens. Gauff is the highest-seeded American remaining in the draw, at 21st, following No. 13 Jennifer Brady’s withdrawal from the tournament on Monday. Sofia Kenin, ranked sixth in the world, withdrew last Wednesday after experiencing a breakthrough positive result for COVID-19.
Stephens is 28. That’s almost a whole generation apart from Gauff, considering how fast the world moves these days. Yet there is a bond between the athletes that dates back to Gauff’s 10th birthday party. Some children get clowns or horses or cowboys or trampolines or pretend superheroes for their parties.
Gauff got a pro tennis player who, in her 10-year-old eyes, must have been superhero enough for the birthday girl.
“All my friends were excited that Sloane Stephens is at your birthday, professional tennis player,” Gauff said. “That’s probably one of the earliest memories I would say that I remember. I’ve also been to a couple of her birthday parties, family get-togethers, I would say somewhere in the 20s. I think I was like 11 or 12.”
Stephens and Gauff shared a coach years ago. They share familiarity, mutual respect and affection. They are about the past, present and future.
“Coco is a great girl,” said Stephens, who has been eliminated in the first or second round in nine of the 14 tournaments she has entered this year. “I call her Cocofina. I’ve known her since she was around eight.
“I think the evolution of her game has been really awesome. It’s not very often that you actually see a player from very, very young and then, to, you know, be as established as she is right now. [That’s] super-inspiring, I think super-awesome. She’s a great player, great girl.”
This should be an entertaining matchup of shot-making and long rallies between a pair of crowd-pleasers.
“I think her future is super-bright,” Stephens said of Gauff. “I look forward to seeing what she does next.”
Stephens will get that opportunity from across the net on Wednesday. Pity it’s not next week.