A Tip from Her Baseball Playing Brother Has Helped Coco Gauff Manage the Majors Better

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday January 19, 2024

A 12 months in the past Codey Gauff, considered one of Coco Gauff’s youthful brothers, gave her some sound recommendation: trick your thoughts for higher outcomes.

Gauff used his recommendation on the US Open, and it made reaching a seemingly not possible objective a lot simpler to handle.

The 19-year-old American plans to maintain utilizing the psychological tactic at this 12 months’s Australian Open, the place she is into the spherical of 16 after a 6-0, 6-2 win over Alycia Parks on Day 6.

How does it work?

“Have enjoyable and loosen up,” Gauff advised reporters. “I believe as you get later, the trophy clearly will get nearer and nearer. You need to deal with it that it is as far-off as it’s for those who’re within the first spherical. That is what I approached that closing. I did not method it as I simply must win two units and I’ve it. I approached it as I must win seven matches once more after which I am going to get it.

“It was really one thing my brother advised me, which is loopy.”

Gauff stated that Codey, who’s a baseball participant in the highschool class of 2026, tipped her off on a key mindset to include.

“He advised me, ‘Fake that it’s important to win three units as a substitute of two,’” she stated. “When you put your mindset into the additional mile, then it appears simpler I assume in a means. He would say, ‘Okay, if you wish to win the Grand Slam, say it’s important to win eight matches as a substitute of seven.’ It is like altering your mindset so it feels additional.

Gauff stated the pair had the chat a few 12 months in the past.

“It all the time caught with me,” she stated. “I believe at French Open I felt prefer it was so shut, and I simply received so tight. On the US Open it simply felt so far-off from the very first level of the match actually till match level was over.

“I believe tricking your thoughts form of relaxes the physique as a result of your thoughts controls your physique. You need to trick your thoughts slightly bit.”