"He'd satisfy, give himself a pat on the back but time to move on": Gauff loves to evoke Mamba Mentality in maiden Grand Slam run-in
WTASaturday, 09 September 2023 at 07:00
America’s young tennis star Coco Gauff has revealed that she
has a similar mentality to the one late NBA star Kobe Bryant.
The 19-year-old once again shows why she is so highly rated in the circuit as she booked her place in the final of the US Open 2023.
Gauff defeated Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova in the
semifinal of the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year in straight sets with
a score of 6-4, 7-5 on Thursday.
Talking ahead of her maiden US Open final, the Atlanta-born
revealed that she has a similar kind of mentality as Bryant had during his days
at the top of the ladder where he never used to give up and was never satisfied
with his success as well.
"Yeah. Definitely. He's, like, has an incredible
mentality,” she said. “One of the things is when he's up and, you know, the
finals, NBA Finals when they're up in the count or 3-1, whatever lead they
have, he doesn't celebrate. He'd satisfy, give himself a pat on the back but
time to move on.
"So that's the mentality that I have. I'm trying to
enjoy the moment but also knowing I still have more work to do. Yes, the final
is an incredible achievement but it's something that I'm not satisfied with
yet."
Bryant remains one of the most iconic players in the history
of the NBA and passed away in a tragic helicopter crash back in 2020.
The current world number six is now set to face the
newly-crowned world number one Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka in the grand finale at
the Flashing Medows.
The 25-year-old made a stunning comeback and defeated
America’s Madison Keys in the semifinal of the competition with a score of 0-6,
7-6, 7-6 on Thursday to book her place in the all-important finale.
Azeem Siddiqui is a seasoned sports journalist and data analyst with a strong background in both digital media and live sports production.
He began his journalism career working with partners of The New York Times and has since contributed to several leading international sports publications, including Fox Sports Asia, Calciomercato, and GiveMeSport. Since 2023, Azeem has been part of the TennisUpToDate team, where he has played a key role in sustaining the platform’s growth and ensuring tennis fans receive timely and reliable coverage of the sport’s biggest stories.
In addition to his editorial work, Azeem has extensive experience as a data analyst in live sports broadcasting—particularly in cricket—where he combines analytical precision with creative storytelling. He has collaborated with multiple production companies and cricket boards worldwide, delivering real-time insights and data-driven narratives during live match coverage.
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- This article is SPOT ON!!!Rapunzel04-09-2026
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mandoist04-09-2026 - Double Standards for the male players? Gross. BTW: This "apology" reads like the one his lawyers wrote for him when he had to go to the Kangaroo Court for slapping his girlfriend around.mandoist04-09-2026
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