Coco Gauff Stays Unfazed by Recent Losses Ahead of Miami Open
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Coco Gauff laughed off the concern surrounding her recent losses, making it clear that a brief rough patch doesn’t shake her confidence.
“Sometimes when I don’t do well, people assume something is personally wrong with me,” Gauff said ahead of the Miami Open, where women’s main-draw play begins Tuesday, followed by the men on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old U.S. Open champion, who just celebrated her birthday last week, acknowledged that a few losses—like her consecutive defeats at the Australian Open, Qatar, and Dubai earlier this season—tend to spark unnecessary worry.
“I’m like, ‘I just lost a couple of matches! I’m chillin’,'” Gauff said with a smile. Seeded No. 3 at the Miami Open, she has a first-round bye and will begin her campaign against either Petra Kvitova or Sofia Kenin, both former Grand Slam champions.
While not thrilled with her recent results, Gauff emphasized that ups and downs are part of any career. She remains focused on refining her game, including adjustments to her coaching staff and technical improvements to her serve and forehand.
Since bursting onto the scene as a 15-year-old qualifier at Wimbledon in 2019—where she famously defeated Venus Williams—Gauff’s backhand has been her signature weapon, while her forehand has often been targeted by opponents.
That was evident in her most recent match, a three-set loss to Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic at Indian Wells. Bencic, sensing tension at 4-all in the final set, strategically attacked Gauff’s forehand to secure the win.
Calling the Miami Open her “home tournament,” Gauff is eager to improve on her 6-5 record at the event, where she has yet to advance past the fourth round.
Despite the scrutiny that comes with being a top-ranked player, Gauff remains unfazed.
“It is tough when people make a big deal out of losing two matches in a row,” she admitted. “If I weren’t a top-five player, it probably wouldn’t even be a conversation. But that’s part of being at the top—you’re expected to win. And I expect myself to win, too.”
