THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

June 28, 2022

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

C. GAUFF/E. Ruse

2-6, 6-3, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Coco, that was quite a battle today. Give us your thoughts on the match.

COCO GAUFF: The match, it was definitely a difficult match. First rounds are never easy. She played well and she really gave -- like we both gave our all in that match today. I'm just glad I was able to come out with the win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Tennis is a very individual sport, but sometimes players fight on court for something greater than themselves. We saw that with Naomi when she won the US Open and the masks she wore after every match. You've spoken about the overturning of Roe v. Wade. In light of that, as a young American woman, are you playing for the millions who will be badly affected by the decision? If so, do you draw power and strength from that?

COCO GAUFF: Yes and no. I mean, at the same time I play for myself, but also at the same time I know there's countless people watching me. I know I'm pretty active off the court regarding issues like that.

It definitely does fuel me and motivates me to do even better.

Today, even that helped a little bit just because people were saying, You need to like shut up and focus on tennis, blah, blah, blah.

Yeah, I like to win just to put that in their faces.

Q. Good for you.

COCO GAUFF: Thanks.

Q. Do you think there's an art to getting out of trouble in matches? Are you learning that as you go?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it's definitely an art just because, like, it's impossible to play the best every day. I feel like the last couple tournaments that I played, I've been playing, like, really good tennis.

Today I think even though I lost against Iga, I lost against Ons, today I played even worse in moments of the match. I think that's, like, what makes you a champion and what makes you get to that next level, is how you figure out how to win in these tough moments.

I think today made me a better player.

Q. What were your thoughts when the Supreme Court came down with its decision?

COCO GAUFF: My first thought was I was very shocked. I thought in no way this decision would be overturned. I was disappointed, too, because Roe v. Wade was a decision made, I forgot which year, but a decision made that led to many other things being overturned, such as same-sex marriage and other things.

I just hope this isn't a decision to be going backwards and lead to more decisions that make us outraged and I think are unfair.

I've stated my thoughts in other interviews, too. But, yeah, I'm against it. I think me being a woman in America, being my age, I think I should have the right to do what I want with my body.

I don't want people to get too discouraged and give up. I hope there will be change. I'm pretty positive there will be. There's a new generation coming up. I think that there will be change, so I'm not worried that this decision won't remain long-term.

Q. What do you think is most important to you that enables you to come back when you're down?

COCO GAUFF: Really, I want the people in the crowd and the people watching me to always remember me as a fighter. Even if I lost today's match, I would be disappointed, but I know that I gave it my all.

When I'm down in those moments, and I was definitely fighting some inner demons in that match, I think that's what inspires me. I want the crowd to know that I'm a fighter. I want the opponent and the opponents that are watching me know that I'm a fighter.

Q. Is that something that's evolved or something you've always had from the moment you first took tennis seriously?

COCO GAUFF: I think it's something that I've always had. I will say, like, over my career, I feel like not that I lost the fight but I kind of lost how to deal with the pressure a little bit. I feel like now I found it and I know that it's okay to not play tennis, your best tennis, all the time. I know now how to handle those emotions.

Today I think I did a good job of handling those emotions.

Q. We've had a couple of high-profile withdrawals in the men's draw because of COVID.

COCO GAUFF: Yes.

Q. It sounds like it's kind of on the players to be testing themselves. Are you happy with that system? Do you think the tournament should be insisting on testing? Do you think it's okay that players are doing it themselves?

COCO GAUFF: I think for the most part I feel like it's okay that players are doing it themselves. I mean, I feel like that's, like, the regulations in the government now, if you feel symptoms, test. That's what I would do if I felt any COVID symptoms, I would test.

I think it's also good like now that we don't have to test every day or every other day. I don't want to go back to that. Not being scared to be tested, but it's also, like, a hassle.

I think with the vaccines and everything, we kind of know that the viral load is low and it's very hard to transfer if you're a vaccinated individual. It's hard to pass the disease if you're vaccinated because the viral load is lower.

I would encourage everybody if you're feeling symptoms to test. I feel like for the most part if you have symptoms, that's when you can possibly transfer it to someone.

Q. Is there much worry in the locker room that it's going round again?

COCO GAUFF: Honestly I didn't even know that people were testing positive until I saw another player wearing a mask upstairs. I saw on Twitter that Berrettini pulled out before my match. I didn't know there were any COVID-positive tests until, like, right before my match. I haven't really talked to anybody about it.

Q. Another player was in here today expressing frustration with some of the things they hear from fans yelled out during matches, directed at them, negative. Have you experienced that during your career so far, hearing things that were very upsetting from fans during matches? Do you think there needs to be rules in place? Where is the line between what's appropriate for people to be calling out and directing at players during matches and when that line maybe can be crossed?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, well, me personally, I've never experienced any type of heckling on the court, which I'm very lucky because I know other players have experienced it. Definitely online I have the experience a lot, but that's different.

Yeah, I definitely think there is a line that you shouldn't cross. I don't know what happened this tournament, so I don't know what the fan was saying or fans were saying. But definitely I think any, like, personal attacks is something that crosses the line. We're all out here trying to do our best.

Obviously the obvious: you don't want any racial things like that, or sexual things like that. That's definitely way past the line.

There are some things that you do have to deal with as an athlete. That's just a part of the sport. Particularly in tennis, it's not very common. It's not in the tennis culture, especially let alone at Wimbledon. I think the line definitely is a lot closer to being crossed than I would say than other sports because that's just the culture of tennis.

Yeah, I think for me, personal attacks, that kind of crosses the line really.

Q. People are becoming to get to know you as a serious person off court as well as a player. I remember three years in Delray Beach you told us that really you were quite a goofy person. Do you consider yourself a goofy person still?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I definitely do. I think people that follow me on TikTok definitely see the other side of me.

On the court, I'm not like Nick who can pull out a trick shot out of nowhere and be able to laugh and still play unbelievable tennis. I feel like me, I would definitely lose my focus a little bit. Players that can do that, I definitely am a little bit envious because they seem like they're having a lot of fun on the court.

Yeah, off the court, I feel like -- I mean, in these press conferences I'm always getting asked serious questions so there's no room for me to crack a joke or anything. I'm not a comedian or anything.

Yeah, I think on TikTok people see the other side.

Q. You've spoken at great length about what Serena Williams' example means to you. What about on the men's side when you think about Rafael Nadal? What goes through your mind? What do you see when you see him on the court?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think Rafa is probably my favorite person to watch practice just because the intensity that he brings. It's kind of hard not to watch him.

I mean, I've gotten the privilege to practice next to him, on the court next to him, a couple times. On a water break, you just memorize about the way he hits the ball, the way he brings intensity to every practice, every ball. The guy never takes not one shot off.

You kind of notice also when the other guys practice with him how much they raise their level because they know when you step on the court with Rafa, you need to raise your level.

For example, I saw Frances practicing with him. We all know Frances likes to joke and everything. But we made a joke. We were like, Frances, you didn't crack one joke in today's practice. He is like, Nah, I don't do it with Rafa (laughter).

It's, like, the guy brings another level to the game. That's what I admire the most.

Q. What do you make of what he's done this year?

COCO GAUFF: Honestly incredible. I'm going to say from a fan's perspective, I don't know what's going on behind with his team and everything, but after his foot injury in Rome, I mean, it was probably stupid of me to doubt Rafa, but I was like, How is this guy going to win the French Open? He's limping. And he did so...

I feel like we should never underestimate him. Especially Australian Open, coming back from down two sets to love in that final. Here dominating still. I think it's incredible. I don't know how he does it, but I'm definitely inspired by it. Also I think what inspired me the most about him was in Rome, even though he was pretty much limping in the match, he still stayed out there and finished the match. That's something that I really respect because he's thinking about the fans, you know? So, yeah, I think he's a great competitor. I think he's a great person. I think he's a great representation of tennis.