Coco Gauff made a fairly fascinating remark to Nick Kyrgios throughout their US Open on-court interview because the 20-year-old American insists she has nothing to lose now that she is a Grand Slam champion but in addition stays assured that she has the potential to do extra massive issues sooner or later.
Earlier than and through the 2023 season, Gauff repeated a number of occasions that one among her massive objectives was to grow to be a Slam champion as an adolescent. And after carrying out it eventually yr’s US Open, the American tennis star landed a Main seven months earlier than turning 20 and leaving her teenage years behind.
Now, Gauff is again to the US Open because the defending champion and she or he began with back-to-back straight-set wins over Varvara Gracheva and Tatjana Maria to arrange a third-round showdown in opposition to Elina Svitolina.
And going into a really powerful subsequent assembly at Flushing Meadows, Gauff – who’s conscious that there’s a lot of consideration and expectation on her at her house Slam – seemingly tried to downplay it a bit.
“Final yr I felt extra strain. Stepping on the courtroom now I’ve actually nothing to lose. I am 20 years outdated. I’ve one underneath my belt. I’ve the potential to do extra whether or not it occurs this yr or sooner or later,” Gauff advised Kyrgios.
Gauff acknowledged one thing comparable earlier than the beginning of the US Open
Simply earlier than launching her US Open title protection, world No. 3 Gauff talked about how one fan modified her perspective with one message.
“Actually, like, a pair days in the past anyone commented on my TikTok and the remark mentioned, why stress your self out over – it mentioned, ‘you’ve got gained actually and figuratively. Why stress your self out over a victory lap?’ I used to be, like, that is really a very good perspective. Nobody can take that from me so why stress myself over one thing that I have already got,” Gauff shared throughout her pre-tournament presser.
Whereas Gauff is evidently attempting to chill out herself, there is no such thing as a doubt that she nonetheless feels some strain and that she want to grow to be the primary participant since her idol Serena Williams to win back-to-back US Open titles.
