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Tag: Coco Gauff

  • Birthday girl Coco Gauff  set Paris 2024 goal

    Birthday girl Coco Gauff  set Paris 2024 goal

    US Open champion Coco Gauff, who celebrated her 20th  birthday with a “straightforward” victory at Indian Wells on Wednesday, says on-court goals are her priority for the next decade.

     “Tennis goals, definitely to win some more slams, and I want to medal at this Olympics or 2028,” Gauff said after cruising past Elise Mertens 6-0, 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals in the California desert.

     “Life goals, honestly, I haven’t thought that far,” she said.

     “I’m not trying to get married or anything,” she added with a smile. “Definitely no kids.

     “Just tennis right now, and we’ll see where life takes me off the court.”

    With her birthday falling in the midst of a prestige tournament, Gauff wasn’t planning any major celebration. In fact, she said, even thinking of a gift for herself was hard.

    “I haven’t gotten anything for myself,” she said. “I always forget, to be honest.

     “I always say I’m going to get myself something. I still haven’t gotten myself anything from US Open! I always say I’m going to buy myself (something) and I just forget.

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     “I do have gifts in my hotel room that have to be opened today.”

    One reason it might be so hard to reward herself, Gauff hinted is that “the things that I want I can’t buy.”

     “I mean, the things that I want I already have. You know, I’m healthy, happy, on tour, living the dream.”

    Gauff, who made her WTA debut shortly after her 15th  birthday in the main draw at Miami, said the celebrity that has come with her success – including lately a Vogue cover story – sometimes flummoxes her.

     “I guess everything with off-court, that’s definitely more the “why me” part,” she said. “Because winning was always something I just envisioned myself doing, just because that’s just what every tennis player envisions.

     “Definitely the off-court stuff, when it comes to the covers and the attention from other celebrities or just people in general, it is kind of like, I don’t know why people gravitate to me so much.

     “But I definitely do appreciate it and it makes me feel loved and I hope I can make other people feel the same way.”

  • Coco Gauff cruises in Aussie opener

    Coco Gauff cruises in Aussie opener

    With increased confidence in her serve thanks to some advice from former No. 1 Andy Roddick, Coco Gauff began her quest for back-to-back Grand Slam singles titles with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over Anna Karolina Schmiedlova of Slovakia at the Australian Open yesterday .

    The 19-year-old American, who won her first major at the US Open in September, wrapped up the victory in exactly one hour.

    “I was a little nervous the first set,” fourth-seeded Gauff said. “I think I did well returning, then I found my serve toward the end [of the set]. When I was nervous at 3-3, I told myself: ‘I feel good, I look good, so just have fun.’ That was able to relax me a little bit.”

    Gauff dropped just one point on her serve in the second set and said that Roddick had recently given her some serving tips.

    “It was really cool,” she said. “He’s a really chill guy. I met him before but never to that level. I went to Charlotte [North Carolina] for two days. It was a really good two days. I think that my serve has improved. He’s probably one of the best servers in history.”

    Gauff will face fellow American player Caroline Dolehide in the next round.

    Earlier, there was a surprising defeat for Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova of Czechia, as she was beaten 6-1, 6-2 by Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine.

    Vondrousova, the No. 7 seed, missed the Adelaide tune-up event with a hip injury and struggled on serve throughout, hitting seven double faults as she was well-beaten by the world No. 93-ranked player.

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    “I didn’t practice because I was injured,” Vondrousova said. “I think that was the important thing. I lost myself at the beginning.”

    Yastremska, who had lost in the first round in her past seven Grand Slam appearances, had 26 winners.

    During her on-court interview after the match, Yastremska acknowledged the ongoing war in Ukraine and how proud she is of the Ukrainian people. She was emotional in recounting how a rocket had struck her grandmother’s house while she was playing in Brisbane earlier this month.

    “I think we just need to remember about it and give as much support to Ukraine,” Yastremska said. “But I’m proud to be Ukrainian, and thank you everybody for your support.”

    In other early play, 19th -seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine advanced to the second round, beating Taylah Preston, a wild-card entry from Australia, 6-2, 6-2.

    Four-time major winner Naomi Osaka will later make her much-anticipated comeback to Grand Slam tennis after the birth of her daughter. The Japanese player will take on Caroline Garcia of France in the first round in the last match at Rod Laver Arena.