Coco Gauff speaks out on player privacy ahead of return in Stuttgart: "Some people were zooming in on phones and reading text messages—that’s where it goes too far"
WTATuesday, 14 April 2026 at 03:00
Coco Gauff returns to Stuttgart with a clear mindset: embrace the challenge, trust the process, and build toward her ultimate goal—peaking at Roland-Garros.
The reigning French Open champion is back at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, a tournament she openly admits has not always brought her the best results. But rather than viewing that as a drawback, Gauff sees it as the perfect test to begin her clay-court campaign.
“Happy to be back here in Stuttgart,” she said to reporters. “Practising has been fun and so far so good, so hopefully I’ll be able to kick off the clay season strong.”
A unique test on indoor clay
Stuttgart presents a rare challenge on the calendar as an indoor clay event, and Gauff was candid about the difficulties it brings. “The clay is unique here. It’s a little bit slippery, so it’s hard to adjust to,” she explained. “Obviously, the indoor component is something I’m not used to seeing until the end of the year, so it’s different for sure.”
In fact, she described it as the toughest clay event in terms of comfort. “It’s definitely the least comfortable tournament, I feel, on court during the clay season,” she said. “But I think it’s great to start with something more challenging—it makes the rest of the season feel a bit easier.”
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Process over pressure
Despite arriving as the reigning champion in Paris, Gauff is determined not to let expectations dictate her mindset over the coming weeks. “My goals are just to focus on the game plan my coaches and I have worked on, and focus more on that than the results,” she said. “I’ve been in this position before when defending Roland-Garros and maybe got a little bit stressed.”
While she admits that defending her title would be special, she is careful not to let that ambition become overwhelming. “It would be great to win again, but I don’t want to tear myself apart trying to do that. The main thing is focusing on the process and knowing that the results will come.”
Trusting a proven schedule
Gauff’s decision to play Stuttgart before heading to Madrid and Rome is part of a schedule that has consistently worked for her. “The main thing is I’ve always done well at Roland-Garros,” she said. “The last few years have been semifinals or better. The goal is to peak at that tournament.”
Even though Stuttgart has not historically been her strongest event, she values its place in her preparation. “Although I don’t typically do well here, I like coming here. This tournament treats me well. Even if I don’t do well, I still have a good time—and that matters.”
She also pointed to recent success in Miami as proof that trends can change. “Miami was a tournament I didn’t thrive at and I did well, so I’d love to do better here.”
Coco Gauff at the WTA Finals.
Eyes on the bigger picture
With players like Aryna Sabalenka absent from the draw, Gauff was asked about her chances of winning the title—but her response reflected her long-term thinking.
“I always have a chance regardless of who’s in the draw,” she said. “But it’s the first clay tournament of the year for me… I’m not really treating this as trying to win. It’s more about the process and doing well in the coming weeks.”
Speaking out on player privacy
Away from the court, Gauff also addressed the growing debate around off-court filming of players, which became a talking point earlier this season.
“The main thing is signs,” she said, calling for clearer boundaries and better control over what is recorded. “There are many private moments that we have. I pray before every match, and I had to tell the cameras not to record that moment.”
She warned that coverage has begun to cross a line. “We are athletes and we put on a show on the court, but I don’t think we need to compromise everything we do off the court,” she said. “Some people were zooming in on phones and reading text messages—that’s where it goes too far.”
Gauff noted she was pleased others, including Carlos Alcaraz, had also raised concerns, adding: “I’m glad I maybe started a conversation.”
From DJs to details
In lighter moments, Gauff shared her thoughts on tournament atmospheres—particularly the music. “I feel like every tournament overuses Sweet Caroline. I hear that song twice a match all the time,” she laughed. “It’s a great song, but I’m a little tired of it.”
She singled out New York as having “the best DJ on tour, for sure,” while praising Stuttgart’s efforts to keep things fresh.
Chasing marginal gains
Now firmly established among the elite, Gauff believes the next step in her career will come down to small improvements in key moments. “It’s just my game and doing better in big moments, especially in finals,” she said. “There are games in the third set where, if I improve, I can win those matches—and that gets you closer to No. 1.”
Her focus remains on refining every aspect of her game. “Serve, forehand, return—everything. I feel like I’m getting better. I just want to be consistent at being better.”
Spotting future talent
Gauff also took time to praise rising talent Eva Lys after practising together in Stuttgart. “She holds the baseline really well, stands very close, and doesn’t miss a lot,” Gauff said. “Her strokes are super clean, so she has a lot of potential.”
With fitness key, Gauff believes Lys can rise quickly.“I think she can beat anyone on any given day… once she’s healthy and finds her form, we’ll see her near the top of the rankings for sure.”
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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