Gauff Explains How Playing Doubles Helps Her In Crucial Moments In Singles

| by Kadir Macar

Coco Gauff looked impeccable against Veronika Kudermetova for a good hour in Stuttgart but then things went sideways with the American barely avoiding complete disaster.

Gauff lost her serve early in this match but stormed back to take the first set 6-2. She was up 3-0 in the second set but allowed Kudermetova to turn the match completely around and set it into a decider. The decider saw Gauff trail a break twice but rally to win in the tiebreak. Just a crazy whirlwind of a match where she kept her cool and there is a reason for that.

Honestly, I did feel a little bit more relaxed compared to, like, I don't know, I felt, for some reason more comfortable in the 6-All tiebreaker than I was trying to break to win the match, even holding serve.

I feel like honestly, I think playing doubles, we play so much match tiebreaks and those crazy points, and I feel like doubles is a little bit more stressful, the tiebreakers, because there is another person and, like, the points can just happen so fast, and in tiebreakers, I feel like the worst things happen in the tiebreakers.

Sabalenka takes out Krejcikova to advance in Stuttgart
Sabalenka takes out Krejcikova to advance in Stuttgart

Gauff plays doubles regularly and together with Pegula forms one of the best pairings on the WTA Tour. They have played a fair share of crazy matches in the past year which helped her remain calm in stressful situations.

I think going into singles I feel a little bit more relief, because I know I make the return, if I hit it slightly middle, the volleyer is not going to attack my partner. Honestly, I think it comes from that. I think just playing so many match-set tiebreaks it comes a little bit easier in single.

Up next is Potapova who defeated her at the Miami Open not long ago. It's a chance for Gauff to avenge that loss and it was a heavy loss because she was up in that match and basically had a chance to win but threw it away.

I mean, again, I'm not expecting an easy match. She's been playing better and better each week. I think that I'm just going to have to keep that aggressive mindset, especially against her, someone who can come up with some big shots.

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