'You've Got To Keep Her Fresh': Davenport Impressed With Gauff's Choice Of Schedule
WTA
Lindsay Davenport lauded Coco Gauff's shrewdness of the playing schedule following her US Open triumph and opined that it has aided her form in the fall.
Speaking on Tennis Channel for the Inside-In podcast, the former World No. 1 drew contrasts between Gauff's form and results following the US Open in 2022 and the current season.
Davenport was not stressing that players shouldn't play more tournaments but should be wary not to overplay.
Last season, Gauff made the quarterfinal at her home Slam and went on to play two more WTA tournaments in successive weeks (San Diego and Guadalajara) before heading to Fort Worth to play at the WTA Finals on her debut.
She hardly made an impression at the season finale losing all group matches in singles and doubles competition and was eliminated. The situation is much more positive and improved this year, with Davenport crediting Gauff and her team for keeping her body fresh following the US Open.
The incoming USA Billie Jean King Cup captain emphasized the importance of rest as key to having a longer tennis career and stated that Gauff's body language at this time last year painted the picture of someone not happy.
"I actually love what she has done since winning the US Open. Last fall was a really tough time if you were a Gauff fan watching her play. She played the Open, then she played San Diego, then played Mexico, then she played Fort Worth and it was tough. If you looked in her eyes, she did not look happy."
"I remember thinking, ‘Oh my Gosh, I hope you don’t lose her. You know, I hope, like, overplaying and all the expectations and all these things on such an amazing talent. Listen, we have seen it a lot in women’s tennis and I remember thinking, Gosh! I hope this doesn’t happen."
"Amazing job by her team and her family this year in getting rid of that. You're exhausted at the end of the year and you have this life-changing moment. She's played one tournament and she's ready to go here now."
"You wanna see Coco Gauff play in her mid-30s, you gotta keep her fresh, you gotta keep her happy. Let her celebrate her biggest goals since she picked up her racket. She's gonna achieve many more amazing things."
