Coco Gauff
commented in a
US Open press conference that playing tennis is not real
pressure compared to people who are struggling with other problems.
The
19-year-old tennis player has had an almost perfect campaign since the start of
the hardcourt swing, boasting a 16-1 record since the beginning of the US Open
Series. She also secured her first WTA 500 title at the Washington Open and her
first WTA 1000 title at the Cincinnati Open.
In Flushing
Meadows, she dreams of winning her first Grand Slam and has reached the
semifinals, just two matches away from claiming the title. To achieve that, she
will face world No. 10 Karolina Muchova, and if she advances, she will meet the
winner of the second semifinal between Madison Keys and the new world No. 1
starting next Monday, Aryna Sabalenka.
Gauff
answered questions from the press and reflected on the pressure experienced in
tennis, stating that real pressure exists in "real life."
“I think
it's just putting my life into perspective. At first I used to think negative things
le ‘Why is this so much pressure why is this so hard’…’
I realize in a way it's pressure, but it's
not. There are people struggling to feed their families. There are people who
don’t know where their next meal is gonna come from, people who have to pay
their bills. That's real pressure, that's real hardship, that's real life,”
world No. 6 said.
“I’m in a
very privileged position, I’m getting paid to do what I love and getting
support to do what I love. That’s something that I don’t take for granted.”
“So really
I just put my life into perspective and especially in New York, I just feel
like you see that perspective a lot more, especially compared to where I live,”
Gauff added.
“I have a
lucky life and so I should enjoy it.”
“I know
there are millions of people who probably want to be in this position that I am
now, so instead of saying, ‘Why this, why that?’ I should just be, like, ‘Why
not me? Why am I not enjoying this?’ I should.”