"Depending on who the supervisor is, I could smooth-talk my way into it" - Coco Gauff explains plan for new Spider-Man movie as she vows to be kinder to herself

It was another tough test for Coco Gauff as she looks to defend the points from the final she reached in last year's Rome Open. Another match has been ticked off with a win, getting the better of Solana Sierra 5-7, 6-0, 6-4.

Gauff put herself in a tricky position after the first set but responded well. She bageled Sierra in the second set before tumbling into ta 3-0 deficit. Five games were won on the spin, and it could have been six if the American converted her first match point. Sierra fought back and prolonged the match. This was for just one game with Gauff sealing it with her third match point for another tough but well-earned win.

Gauff admitted that she was not sure how she won that match. "I don’t know. It was a tough day for me emotionally — a lot of ups and downs," she told the Tennis Channel. "That’s the thing about this sport: on your tough days, you still have to show up and try your best. I’m glad I was able to pull it off. It was a really good win for me."

There was a moment at the end of the first set where she hammered her racket into her head as the frustrations hit boiling point. "It’s not something I want to do or make a habit of," she explained. "You go through things off court, then you come on court and everything gets amplified. I didn’t want to throw my racquet or anything, so I took it out on myself. But maybe it’s better to hit the ground than myself."

Gauff is no stranger to these long battles on court. Since the start of last year, she has been involved in 30 matchups which went the distance, winning 21 of them. This includes the final of Roland Garros against world number one Aryna Sabalenka.

While she would prefer to complete the job in two sets rather than drag it out, the 22-year-old believes that is also on the mind of her opponents. "I think it’s something opponents think about too — that even if they win the first set, it’s still a long road to the finish," she commented. "Sometimes you just have to dig these matches out, and today was one of those days.

"She was playing really well, so I don’t think it was all on me. She stepped up her level, and I was able to raise mine when it mattered too."

The interviewer referenced a Rafael Nadal quote noted by Gauff the other day. The 22-time Grand Slam champion had once said: "And here we are: We are in Rome," and it is something inspiring to Gauff.

She explained how she shapes her mindset around that saying, but refused to offer her best Nadal impression. "I don’t even want to try the Rafa accent because it would sound terrible. But I think about that quote often. The accent and the facial expression make it ten times better — he’s so serious saying it while everyone else is laughing.

"But honestly, it’s a great mindset: you can’t affect what happened before, you can only affect what happens now. 'Now we are here in Rome.' I love that quote. People always ask, 'You didn’t start the season how you wanted,' but even if you don’t start how you want, you still have the chance to finish how you want."

Not just the singles, but Gauff will have lofty ambitions in the doubles as well. Partnering Caty McNally, the American duo have not partnered with each other since the Billie Jean King Cup qualifier in 2023, and on the WTA Tour back at the 2022 Miami Open where they made it all the way to the semi-finals.

"I think it is our first time playing together in a long time," Gauff stated. However, that time will soon come to an end against Indonesian duo Janice Tjen and Adila Sutjiadi. "I’ve always loved playing with Katie. It wasn’t like we stopped for any reason — we were just in different places. I stepped back from doubles for a bit."

She explained how the partnership came about. "I was looking for someone for Rome, and I told her in Miami, “If you need someone for Rome, let me know.” A couple of weeks later, she did. So yeah, we’re getting the band back together. I’m really excited. She’s one of my good friends, and it’s going to be fun."

Moving back to the singles, she will be taking on an American, that is guaranteed. She will have to patiently wait for the winner of Taylor Townsend and Iva Jovic.

Whoever she faces, it will be a tough task. "Iva’s obviously killing it right now," Gauff praised. "She’s super young and ambitious, and she has a great game and a great head on her shoulders, so that would be tough. Taylor’s the same in terms of ambition — just a little bit older — and she’s playing great tennis too. I think she plays really well on clay. Either way, I know I’ll have a good match on my hands, and I’m looking forward to it."

Away from tennis, Gauff gave an update on her brother's, Cody, baseball venture. "My brother’s going to Mizzou. He’s heading there this summer for training camp. My dad’s with him right now while my mum’s here with me, so we’re already doing the divide-and-conquer thing. He just graduated high school, which is crazy because I still remember when I graduated. I’m super proud of him. I guess I’ll have to make trips up to Missouri and support him whenever I can."

She also could not contain her excitement for the upcoming Spider-Man movie soon coming out. "Oh my gosh — probably a 10. Honestly, maybe off the scale. I’m super excited. I don’t even watch trailers, though."

It will come out when the Canadian Open is taking place. Gauff will do everything she can to avoid any spoilers, hoping it does not clash with any of her matches. "I probably wouldn’t go that far because you’ve got to save your requests for important things," she said. "But maybe depending on who the supervisor is, I could smooth-talk my way into it. If I don’t get the day match, I’m definitely staying off my phone to avoid spoilers."