Emma Navarro vs Coco Gauff Prediction: A tough test for Coco Gauff

In the Round of 16 at the US Open 2024, a battle between two of the most promising stars on the WTA Tour takes place: Emma Navarro versus Coco Gauff. Both players have shown their great talent through the last couple of years, and here they are, again competing on the biggest stage American tennis has to offer. The pairing is considered particularly intriguing given not just their recent history but the high-stakes result that will come out of it.

The revelation this season has been World No. 12 Emma Navarro. Oozing with confidence, the 22-year-old has pulled off three successive wins at the US Open, one against Marta Kostyuk. Navarro's game is predominantly aggressive from the baseline, while her all-court game is pretty decent too. She beat Gauff at Wimbledon not long ago and thus appears capable of taking on top level competition.

Aggression is the name of the game for Navarro. She controls rallies with her forehand incredibly well, often looking to move her opponents around in hopes of opening up the court. Her backhand acts as more of a stabilizing shot-good enough to keep in rallies and reset points if and when she needs to. The serve is fairly reliable but far from overpowering, something she'll want to focus on in terms of high first-serve percentages to stay clear of the aggressive returns of Gauff.

One of the key strengths in Navarro's game is her court sense. She could construct the points well and had the variety in her shots to really disrupt her opponent's rhythm. But against Gauff, Navarro will have to keep her intensity high and avoid giving away short balls that Gauff could immediately jump upon with heavy groundstrokes.

On the other side of the net is Coco Gauff, a prodigy who has already managed to seal herself as one of the elite players on the tour at only 19 years. Third in the world rankings, Coco comes into this match after a fine return to the opening rounds, including one that was stretched to three sets by the experienced Elina Svitolina. The game of Gauff is built on athleticism, powerful groundstrokes, and a never-say-die attitude that makes her a formidable opponent on any surface.

It is known that Gauff is incredibly quick and a fantastic defender; based on these facts, she has often converted her defense into offense due to her very quick footwork and the ability to hit winners from tough positions. Her forehand is the main weapon; it can produce power and great spin to make it difficult for the opponents to counter. She also has a backhand that is quite usable: flat or with topspin, she can hit it depending on the occasion.

Tactically, Gauff will try to capitalize on Navarro's serve and look to place pressure on early in the rallies. The ability to move well laterally will be important for Gauff, too, as Navarro attempts to push her side-to-side around the court. Another key to success for Gauff would come through her mental toughness, whereby in big-pressure moments, she has shown maturity beyond her years, and he will have to draw on that experience in what might prove to be a tight match.

This match will most likely be extremely competitive, with both players having clear paths to victory depending on which player best executes the respective game plan. Adding an interesting dynamic to this match, the recent win by Navarro at Wimbledon carries into this match a confidence boost for her in knowing she can beat Gauff on a big stage. Still, the fast conditions of the US Open may favor the more aggressive style of Gauff over Navarro's more measured approach.

Given the experience of Gauff, a slight edge in athleticism, and the fact that she will be motivated to avenge her defeat from Wimbledon, I slightly favor her in a closely fought victory. Undoubtedly, Navarro will make sure she fights as hard as possible, and this match might easily go into a full three sets; performing under pressure, however, might give the advantage to Gauff.

• Over 20.5 Games at 1.68 Odds
• Emma Navarro to Win a Set at 1.68 Odds
• Total Sets 3 at 2.25 Odds