Coco Gauff searching for top form as she opens US Open title defense

Coco Gauff isn’t exactly in prime form as she prepares to becomes the first woman to win consecutive U.S. Open titles since Serena Williams won three straight from 2012-14.

The 20-year-old Gauff opens play Monday against France’s Varvara Gracheva after a troublesome summer.

Gauff was sent home in the fourth round of Wimbledon by fellow American Emma Navarro and then lost in the third round of the Olympics to eventual silver medalist Donna Vekic of Croatia.

Then things really went downhill. Gauff was dominated in the third round in Toronto by Diana Shnaider of Russia, and she followed up with nine double faults while losing to Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan in the second round (her first match) of the Cincinnati Open, where she was the reigning champion.

Not exactly the type of momentum the third-seeded Gauff wants to take into a Grand Slam event.

“I’ll try to take the positive out of it, and do better next time,” Gauff said.

Next time is under the bright lights of New York, where Gauff will be expected to match last year’s performance when she beat Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus in the championship match.

It was Gauff’s first career Grand Slam crown, and tennis aficionados expect a lot more.

So does Gauff. But she understands she’s still in the early portion of her career.

“I have time,” Gauff said. “Obviously, I want to win now because I’m used to winning so early, but I think I’ve taken a step back and realize I have another 10 years in this sport, so I want to enjoy it.”

Gracheva is ranked 66th in the world and doesn’t seem like an upset threat. She lost in the first round of the past two U.S. Opens.

However, her best finish in a major came earlier this year when she reached the fourth round of the French Open.

Gauff won the lone meeting with Gracheva in January when she posted a 6-1, 6-1 victory in the quarterfinals in Auckland.

The second-seeded Sabalenka also opens Monday as she faces Priscilla Hon of Australia.

Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic, the eighth seed, faces Spain’s Marina Bassols Ribera in her first match.

Top-seeded Iga Swiatek of Poland opens on Tuesday against Russian Kamilla Rakhimova. Swiatek was the 2022 U.S. Open champ.