Coco Gauff commented after her victory over Varvara Gracheva: “There is definitely a lot of pressure in this tournament, but I’m just enjoying it. Last year was incredible, so I’m just bringing that vibe with me. Whatever happens, happens.
“If I had played last week, it would have been really difficult, but my perspective has changed a lot in the seven days. I just tried to enjoy the game. I enjoyed it today and it was obviously straightforward, but even though it was closer, those are the moments you live for. I know the last few weeks have been a bit rough and I think that was the best tennis I’ve played in a long time.”
When asked about a comment on one of her TikTok videos that changed her perspective, Gauff replied: “Someone commented on my TikTok saying I’ve won in life, literally and figuratively, and there’s no point in putting pressure on myself on a victory lap.
“I just treat this tournament like that and when you defend something, it means you’ve won something. When you’ve done it, it means you can do it again. Whether I do it again this year or not, I’ll do it again – whether it’s 2024 or not, I’ll do it again.
GO FORWARD
Defending a Grand Slam title is one of the most difficult tasks in tennis. Coco Gauff takes on the challenge
