Coco Gauff's first Grand Slam final experience happened in 2022 when she played in the Roland Garros final against Iga Swiatek.
That was the biggest moment of her career up until that point, and she didn't handle it well. To be fair, a lot of things were against her. Swiatek was world number one on an absurd tear at that point.
The Pole was by far the best clay player in the world, playing against a teenager who had shown nerves in big spots in the past. It just never looked like a final that Swiatek could lose, and a huge part of that was because Gauff lost before she even stepped on the court.
She admitted it in a recent interview with TIME Magazine, explaining how overwhelming the whole situation was for her.
"I was trying to live up to what other people wanted for me. That got in my head a little bit."
"I had a lot of anxiety attacks before that final. It felt like life or death. It felt hard to breathe. I lost that match before I stepped on the court."
It was a very hard match for Gauff, and she shed a lot of tears. She cried in between sets in the bathroom and after the match. It was an intense experience, but it helped her better prepare for what would come a year and a few months later when she stood in another major final.
That time around, Gauff was better prepared. While it didn't start well for her, she was able to hold her composure and ultimately win the match against Aryna Sabalenka to win her maiden Grand Slam.
Last year was a huge year for Gauff in terms of growing up. She became a better player and better suited to handle various types of adversity. It's about building on that and becoming an even better player. However, it hasn't quite gone as well this year.