Gauff said, "I'm obsessed with the process of getting better. ...I feel like I have a clear future where I see myself and I feel like I'm really close."

Gauff is currently the WTA World No. 3 with a record of 35-12 with one singles title (Roland Garros). She won the 2023 US Open, but failed to defend her title last year. Less than a month later, she fired coach Brad Gilbert.

The tentacles of Hurricane Erin reached New York Wednesday, forcing the closure of beaches and the cancellation of the qualifying matches at the U.S. Open. It was eerily quiet at the USTA Center -— the sky was gray,