Sachia Vickery pleased with performance against Coco Gauff

Apr 19, 2024 Sports

Coco Gauff (left) greets Sachia Vickery after their match at the Stuttgart Open in Germany.

– Thankful for the support from Guyana

By Rawle Toney

Kaieteur Sports – Sachia Vickery delivered an impressive performance at the Stuttgart Open, despite a hard-fought defeat of 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 against last year’s US Open champion, Coco Gauff.

Reflecting on the match, Vickery expressed satisfaction with her performance, speaking exclusively with Kaieteur News from Germany.

Vickery had a commanding 4-2 lead in the third set against the world #3, putting her on course for what could have been her second career Top 10 victory.

However, Gauff, returning to competition after a hiatus since the Miami Open in March, rallied to secure victory with a late surge, clinching 12 of the final 14 points in a gripping encounter lasting two hours and 26 minutes on Stuttgart’s Centre Court.

Vickery’s only Top 10 triumph to date remains her victory against then-world No. 3 Garbiñe Muguruza at the 2018 BNP Paribas Open.

Similar to her performance at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, the 28-year-old American entered Stuttgart as a qualifier, defeating higher-ranked opponents Greet Minnen and Aliaksandra Sasnovich to reach the main draw and set up the round-of-16 clash with Gauff.

Gauff, a former Roland Garros finalist and reigning US Open champion, made her first appearance since her early exit at her home tournament, the Hard Rock Stadium.

Acknowledging Gauff’s resilience, Vickery remarked, “CoCo is a formidable opponent, but I’m pleased with my performance and effort. Although it was a challenging match, the outcome could have swung either way.”

Nonetheless, Vickery carried her late momentum into the second set, seizing a 4-2 lead and resiliently rebounding from a love-break while serving, sparking surprise among the Stuttgart crowd.

Sachia Vickery in action against Coco Gauff.

The final set witnessed further momentum shifts: Gauff claimed the first two games, only to lose the next four.

Vickery seemed poised to secure a fifth consecutive game when the world No. 3 mounted a comeback, capitalizing on sluggish serving from her compatriot to level the set.

On the brink of conceding a third consecutive game, Vickery rallied, saving a break point at 4-4 to force Gauff to serve to remain in the contest.

Gauff responded decisively, stringing together eight consecutive points to secure victory and set up a quarterfinal clash against either No. 5 seed Zheng Qinwen or Marta Kostyuk, whom she faced in the 2024 Australian Open quarterfinals in January.

Vickery expressed to Kaieteur News that advancing through the qualifiers proved invaluable, stating, “It allowed me to acclimate to the surface and refine my strategy, especially since clay isn’t our typical playing surface. Despite the fatigue, it was immensely beneficial.”

Although raised in the US, Vickery, whose parents are Guyanese, shared her gratitude for the overwhelming support from Guyana.

“I’m deeply appreciative. The flood of messages from family and fellow Guyanese expressing pride in my efforts, considering me the match winner, means the world to me. The support from Guyana is truly special, and I’m honoured to represent my heritage wherever I compete,” Vickery remarked.

Looking ahead, Vickery highlighted upcoming clay tournaments in Rome and Madrid before setting her sights on the French Open in France.

against, Champion, Coco Gauff, performance, Sachia Vickery

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