Coco Gauff thinks how she emerged on the WTA Tour as a young player means she faces a heavier backlash after results than some of her peers.
Gauff broke through as a 15-year-old at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships. She reached the fourth round at SW19, including a stunning triumph against her idol and five-time champion at the event, Venus Williams.
The 20-year-old has spoken about Venus and Serena Williams' impact on her when trying to make it in tennis. They helped Gauff cope with sticking out like a sore thumb in a predominantly white sport.
Venus had a very similar journey as a young player of color breaking through. October 31st marked 30 years since Venus made her first appearance as a professional player at the age of just 14.
That means the seven-time Grand Slam champion can relate more than just about anyone in tennis history to the pressure and expectations Gauff has dealt with since she was a teenager as a young player that broke through quickly.
Gauff's maturity and level-headedness during those years as a teenager were exceptional. Inspirations like the Williams sisters, her parents, and her Grandmother, who always felt she was destined for greatness, undoubtedly helped with that.
However, Gauff continues to face intense media scrutiny despite no longer being a teenager and winning her first Grand Slam at the US Open last year, beating Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
In an interview with the National, Gauff said she gets 'crucified' compared to other players, even when they have achieved the same result. But the world No. 3 tries to take it as a compliment that many have high expectations of her.
"I honestly think maybe just because of how I entered the scene, people are very critical of me. I take it as a compliment. Maybe they're critical about people that they feel like can do better, so I just try to be better."
Gauff admits she sometimes resists the temptation to respond to those criticizing her harshly, but she thinks the best approach is to wait until she wins to respond to those who are particularly unpleasant with their remarks.
"I feel like, just certain comments, I guess maybe another player would maybe do the same result as me and I get crucified for it and they get applauded. So it's tough sometimes."
"And sometimes I do want to clap back, but I just try to remember, when I win, I’ll be like, that's going to be my clap back. So I do see it. It does motivate me."
Managing social media criticism, especially, is something top athletes have to do. Naomi Osaka admitted she is still learning how to handle nasty comments from accounts on social media.
Gauff is clear that she picks her moments to respond. The American admitting she sees the negative comments means the 20-year-old will inevitably notice some of the positive ones as well, which can give fans a greater incentive to leave supportive remarks that Gauff might see.
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