Coco Gauff is the great local hope for this US Open 2022. In the incomparable setting of the withdrawal of Serena Williams, one of many girls who grew up idolizing the legend is immersed in her own path to history, a path that is not easy within the competitive framework of the WTA. However, the one from Delray Beach is already in the quarterfinals of the last Grand Slam of the year, her best result in New York, and she is looking for much more. Handling the pressure with a maturity unbecoming of her age, her next path is full of mines, among them Caroline Garcia, but Gauff is optimistic and eager to continue rocking in an Arthur Ashe dedicated to her. From the support of the public, her feelings on such an important stage and her current level, she spoke in Press conference.
Big win against Zhang Shuai in two hours
“I think the match was of a very high quality. I told my coach that I had practically no free points throughout the entire match, and I think the same thing happened to her, I barely conceded any points despite the double faults. I’m super happy with the way I played. Both mentally and physically it was a very tough game, but it shows that all the training is paying off.”
Dealing with high expectations, from the world and your own
“I deal with it game by game. That’s the best way to deal with expectations. If you focus too much on one goal, it can eat you up a little mentally. Right now I go game by game.”
Manage the pressure and the day to day of the Grand Slams
“We don’t think about our next opponent right after the match. Normally we try to work on anything, there are days when you feel great with a certain shot and there are days when you don’t, so what you do is go back and work on it. Sometimes it’s all about the mental shape you’re in. Training after games has prepared me mentally for the second weeks of games. Majors. As I have played Grand Slams, I have realized that the physical is not a problem for me, that the most complicated thing is to deal with everything mentally, with the press, etc. Roland Garros showed me that I can do it, that I can handle all of that. I trained just after a lot of matches in Paris. It’s worked for me so I’ll keep it up.”
Always lively on the track, feeding on the public
“I always feed on what the public does. I told my team, I’m always excited, but I’ve balanced both things. My spirit is due to the stands, really. Sometimes you play on courts that are a little smaller and you don’t everything is so loud, you hear your own screams and that’s even weird to me. I can’t hear my screams here, which makes me want to celebrate even more. I feed on the moment and the inertia so much. I enjoy it. New York takes a side of me that I haven’t had since I was 15, so it’s great.
An unforgettable atmosphere today
“Today was different. 6-5, break, and people were yelling: “Let’s go, Coco”. She tried not to smile, she could have ended up smiling, my coach tells me to do it more, but I thought she had to stay focused. It was an unreal moment for me, with Arthur Ashe chanting my name, I felt like I was in an NBA game. That is something that makes tennis special. You go to a football or NBA game and people chant the name of the team, here people chant your name specifically, that’s impressive and something I will never take for granted.
Managing with maturity the expectations that are so heavy at your age: how do you achieve it?
“I think it’s because of my family. They have never put pressure on me to do something. I’m not saying that it is something that happens to other players, but I feel that for me it has always been a process, in my head I have felt it that way. It’s clear that I feel the pressure, I feel the expectations, but also that once my head gets on the court, all that disappears. I’m lucky to be able to apply that mentality. It took me some time to find it. Paris It was a special moment for me, and I guess each player has their own journey and approaches it differently. It depends on all your personal background, what works for me doesn’t work for everyone. I hope I can keep it that way, but I can’t talk about the future.”
What is the best and worst thing about being Coco Gauff
“I would say the best thing is just to experience people’s personal reactions when you meet them. It’s never something I take for granted, especially with children. I remember a girl, after my third round match, who started crying after I I signed the ball for him. I gave him a hug and he almost made me cry too. I don’t know, I never could have imagined that it would have that impact on a person. I know there are quite a few people. That’s the best thing, without a doubt. There are also things negative. You miss a lot of negative stuff every week (laughs), but the good far outweighs the bad. The only thing that makes me sad is missing so many concerts at home. I missed The Weeknd, I missed Bad Bunny, I’ve missed many, I guess that’s the bad thing.
