American teenager Coco Gauff advanced to the third round of the U.S. Open after defeating Croatia’s Donna Vekic in a tense second-round match at Flushing Meadows. Gauff was broken late in the first set but recovered, sealing the victory and moving on in the year’s final Grand Slam. The 21-year-old fought back tears during an on-court interview, thanking the crowd for its support and telling fans, “I’m doing this for myself but also for you. No matter how tough it gets inside, you can do it.” Olympic gymnastics champion Simone Biles watched the match from the stands and later praised Gauff’s “grace and humility.” Gauff said Biles’ presence helped her stay composed under pressure, adding that if Biles can compete on a six-inch beam under global scrutiny, “then I can hit the ball in this court.”