“I would get a lot of negative thoughts” – Coco Gauff reveals how going to therapy helped her manifest incredible French Open win
Coco Gauff Credits Therapy for Overcoming Negative Thoughts to Win French Open 2025
Coco Gauff, after her 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the French Open 2025 final on June 7, revealed how therapy helped her conquer self-doubt and manifest her second Grand Slam title. In a *Vogue* interview on June 9, Gauff shared, “I would get a lot of negative thoughts… I’d think everybody was thinking the worst things about me because I lost,” reflecting on her struggles post-2022 French Open final loss to Iga Swiatek, where she was overwhelmed by “dark thoughts” and cried under a towel. Therapy, she said, shifted her perspective, teaching her, “Those are more so my thoughts than others’,” enabling her to stay calm during the windy, high-pressure final, per www.vogue.com.
Gauff’s mental resilience was bolstered by manifestation techniques inspired by Olympian Gabby Thomas. She wrote, “I will be French Open champion 2025,” repeatedly on a note, and visualized success in front of a mirror, saying, “I was trying to instill that belief,” per www.foxsports.com. Therapy helped her manage pre-match emotions, as she noted, “I let out frustrations in practice so I can be cool-headed in matches,” a stark contrast to her anxious, tearful 2022 final, per www.yourvalley.net.
Her coach, Jean-Christophe Faurel, praised her mentality, stating, “One of her greatest strengths is her never-give-up character,” especially after a tough Miami Open exit in March 2025 prompted a heart-to-heart, per www.bbc.com. Gauff’s therapy-driven mindset, combined with tactical adaptability against Sabalenka’s 70 unforced errors, secured her $2.9 million prize and historic win as the first American woman to claim Roland Garros since Serena Williams in 2015, per www.express.co.uk. Fans on X, like @TennisFanatic, lauded her growth, amplifying her inspiring journey.[]
