Coco Gauff reflects on US Open semi-final defeat
Coco Gauff has revealed how she dismissed an attempt by her father to lift her spirits immediately after her painful US Open semi-final defeat against Elena Rybakina. The American saw her hopes of claiming another title at Flushing Meadows ended by the new world No 1 following a gripping contest decided by the finest of margins, reports BritPanorama.
Gauff entered the tournament in excellent form after winning the Cincinnati Open for a second time and had produced some of her most consistent tennis throughout the summer. However, her father, Corey, reminded her of those achievements shortly after the defeat. Yet, an emotional Gauff admitted she was not ready to take comfort from the bigger picture.
“I mean, right now it sucks,” she said after losing 6-3, 4-6, 4-6. “My Dad came up and said, ‘You have accomplished so many things this summer,’ and I just said, ‘I don’t care about the summer’. Right now that is where my head is at. But it is the goal. I want to be a consistent player, and I want to give myself as many opportunities as I can to lift the trophy.”
Gauff’s frustration reflected the standards she has set for herself after another encouraging campaign on the WTA Tour. “But it hurts. It’s all great, but I think the competitor in me is like, this is the tournament that I want to perform at. I did perform, but it’s the tournament you want to come out with the win. It’s a learning experience, and I hope to keep putting myself in positions to hopefully win.”
Despite the defeat, Gauff believes her performances provided further evidence that her game is heading in the right direction. “I think I played almost every match on my terms,” she added, acknowledging areas for improvement. “I think the worst match for me was maybe the quarter-final, where I maybe fell back into old habits.” In a reflective moment, she noted, “In 24 hours I was able to switch that and I think that it’s confidence to continue to improve.”
“Now I am just excited to keep putting in the work for another year or another two years, and see where I’m at at 24 or 25,” Gauff said, expressing her determination to assess her progress. Rybakina also praised Gauff’s serve after the match, recognising the improvements the American has made during the past year. The new world No 1 will face Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday’s final.
As Gauff recalibrates after a narrow defeat, she embodies the relentless spirit of a competitor ready to learn from every experience. It’s clear that for her, the pain of losing is just another step on the long road of a promising career.
