Coco Gauff's surprise doubles partnership at the United Cup proved successful. Teammate Christian Harrison revealed what makes the world No. 3 so easy to play with, even on short notice.

"Well, obviously, with Coco [Gauff’s] skillset, she’s going to be a leader anywhere she’s playing. We didn’t know each other that well before the last couple of days, but she is just really easy to talk to."

Gauff was originally paired with Taylor Fritz for the event, but when there was a risk of a long-term knee injury, Harrison stepped in.

“It was fun to just get out there and play. She made it easy for me. She was nice with what she was saying off the court, but her game is always going to lead the way with what she brings to the table.”

Though Team USA couldn't make it past the semifinals after a loss to Poland, the defending champions showcased a solid partnership. They lost the games 7-6 in two sets against Poland.

While Gauff didn't speak about playing with Harrison after their loss, she did speak after they beat Greece earlier in the tournament.

"I felt that I was playing really good today and Christian was playing well as well, so I knew that once we got some opportunities, it would eventually swing our way."

And for Coco Gauff, her performance was solid in singles as well

She delivered standout wins to Argentine Solana Sierra (6-1, 6-1), Greece's Maria Sakkari (6-3, 6-2), and most impressively, Iga Swiatek (6-4, 6-2).

With this win, she also became the first player to defeat the former world No. 1 in straight sets for the 4th time.

Despite doubles success, Gauff will prioritize playing singles at the Australian Open this year. She has opted out of both doubles events. Whether playing singles or doubles, Coco Gauff has a rare ability to elevate those around her and make even unexpected partnerships look easy.

Written by

Fatema Kapasi

Edited by

Siddharth Shirwadkar