"Since I was 8 years old people were saying I'm next Serena" - Gauff opens up about weight of expectations
Coco Gauff will play in the Grand Slam semifinals for the first time in her career at Roland Garros in 2022, after defeating Sloane Stephens in the quarterfinals.
Coco Gauff has been playing on the WTA Tour for what feels like an eternity, although she is only 18 years old and will be the only teenager in the 2022 Roland Garros semifinals. She expressed her delight with her performance as well as the weight of expectations that people have, saying:
"It's important that you have high hopes for yourself, but also, at the same time, it's important to be in reality and I think that's where I am," Gauff said afterward. "I'm in reality where I'm enjoying the moment and enjoying the situation."
"Obviously I'm going to make some mistakes and have some bad moments. but I think for me as long as I show that it's with good intent, like last year I broke a racquet here, and people ask did I regret it? No, I don't regret it."
"I think it's important as a young player that we show vulnerability and show that it's OK to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. I think it's just important to show with that. I think that was the biggest lesson I learned last year in my quarterfinal match. I had a couple set points and I think I freaked out when some of those points didn't go my way."
"Ever since I joined the tour, or even when I was even 8 years old, [people were saying] the next Serena, next this, next that, and I think I really fell into the trap of believing that. I felt like I was to the point where even when I made the second week or beat Naomi [Osaka] at Australian Open, I remember I was happy but I wasn't that happy because, I was, like, I feel like that's what I should do. Whereas now I'm really appreciating each win and loss."
"I think a lot of the times when I play someone two or three times, even back in juniors, I would at least by the third time hopefully figured it out. I think that it helps, because I feel like I know what's going on on the court and I know why I lost the match, and I know what I need to work on for the next time. My grandfather always told me: 'Forget your wins; remember your losses.' I remember each and every loss."
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