“The get back”: UConn’s Paige Bueckers supports tennis star Coco Gauff after her 2024 US Open loss to Emma Navarro
UConn star Paige Bueckers showed her support for fellow athlete Coco Gauff after the tennis star's defeat to fellow American Emma Navarro in the fourth round of the 2024 US Open. On Sunday afternoon, Navarro picked up a win against the defending champion at Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in her career.
"wasn’t meant to be this year…but I will come back stronger, best believe that," Gauff shared on her Instagram after failing to win back to back US Open titles.
Several athletes responded to her post, expressing their support, including Paige Bueckers:
"The get back! Gods timing," Bueckers commented.
Gauff later thanked the two-time Big East Player of the Year winner through emojis for her encouraging words:
Meanwhile, Navarro registered her second victory over Gauff following her earlier win at Wimbledon this summer:
"It’s pretty insane. I lost in the first round the last two years, and now to be making quarterfinals is pretty insane," Navarro said after the win. "Coco's an amazing player and I have a ton of respect for her. I know she's going to come back here and win this thing again one year."
Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd attend Coco Gauff's US Open game
A couple of Huskies were spotted enjoying some tennis after Paige Bueckers and Azzi Fudd were seated in Gauff's player box during her third-round clash against Ukrainian star Elina Svitolina.
ESPN captured the duo enjoying the match. Bueckers could be seen taking a picture with her phone, laughing alongside Fudd. Footage also showed her interacting with Gauff in a hallway.
"Athletes supporting athletes," ESPN wrote in the caption.
During the post-match conference, Gauff talked about the UConn stars coming to her game and said she was grateful to meet them:
"Paige and Azzi, I've known them on social media for a while. Obviously, they're very good at what they do in basketball at UConn. So I knew that they were coming today, and I got to meet them in person after the match," Gauff said.
"I think I got some of the good vibes from them. ... So it was great to have that support. And, hopefully, I can return the favor at one of their games," she added.
Bueckers and Fudd enter their fourth year at UConn next season. Notably, it will be Bueckers' final season in college before she heads to the WNBA. It remains to be seen if she can bow out of college basketball with a national championship.