World No. 2
Coco Gauff discussed her new perspective as she returns to the US Open as the
defending champion. The 20-year-old tennis player will play her first match
against Varvara Gracheva on Monday at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, aiming to defend
her only Grand Slam title so far.
The
American reached the semifinals at the Australian Open and the French Open, but
at Wimbledon, she 'only' made it to the Round of 16, a result surely below
Gauff's expectations.
Gauff aims for strong US Open after early losses
A year ago,
Gauff arrived at Flushing Meadows with the titles from the WTA 500 DC Open and
WTA 1000 Cincinnati Open, won in the previous weeks, and full of confidence.
However, this year her current form is quite different, with early defeats at
the Canadian Open and Cincinnati Open. She managed only one win and suffered a
significant drop in ranking points, causing her to fall one spot in the
rankings, now sitting third behind Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.
Read also
“Yeah, it's
a new year for a new opportunity. Really excited to be back here and have a
great tournament,” Coco Gauff said in her first press conference at Flushing
Meadows. "Obviously, coming in as defending champion is a little bit of
pressure, but also more of a privilege, because as my new motto is: If you
defend, that means you won something before. I'm excited to be back here and
hopefully have a good two weeks."
"Obviously
I wanted to go into Cincinnati and win, but I had more realistic things in my
head just coming from [the] Olympics and, you know, switching surfaces so
fast,” the American added. “So really, the main focus was trying to be as ready
as possible for here, which I feel like was a blessing in disguise. I lost so
early because I was able to actually train, which I hadn't been able to. I do
my best results when I come off a training block.”
In that
sense, Gauff mentioned that the training sessions in the days leading up to the
US Open have been fruitful and that she feels in better shape than in the
previous weeks of the hardcourt swing.
“I was able
to train for a good week and a half and obviously still have a couple more days
to do that. The last couple of practices have gone really well, which before,
like, during Cincinnati, I wasn't having great practices, in Toronto, I wasn't
having great practices.
“Here I'm
having great practices, which, you know, doesn't mean I'm going to go out on
the match and play great, but it does give you more confidence when you're
actually practising great the week before a tournament, yeah.”
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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