QATAR TOTAL ENERGIES OPEN

February 15, 2023

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

C. GAUFF/P. Kvitova

6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Well done today. Tough conditions out there. How do you assess your performance?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think today was a good start to the tournament for me. Petra is not an easy opponent. I'm happy that I was able to come out with the win today, and hoping to do well in doubles as well.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I wonder, because you're really young, but what kind of tennis memories you had of Petra Kvitova before playing her? Is she a player you were looking up to when you were young?

COCO GAUFF: I mean, I definitely watched her matches. When she won her first title when I was seven, I didn't see that one. I was just starting tennis. I really only watched like Serena up until probably like eight years old, and that's when I started watching other players.

But, yeah, I definitely watched her matches over the years. It's one of those people that you just never think you're going to play. I'd say she's among the players like Simona and Petra, you know, even past players that I've played that now retired, like Petkovic, I just feel like those are players when you step on the court you're like, Okay, I have watched you for a long time, like it's kind of weird playing you.

That's what it felt like today. I felt like I have watched her for a long time, and it was weird playing her in that aspect, because it's like almost meeting a celebrity in a way. I have seen her on the grounds, but when you meet a celebrity, you're like, Oh, it's real like.

Yeah, that's what it felt like (smiling).

Q. About your level of play, because she's tricky to play, there's no rhythm, she's hitting the winner. What do you think you did particularly well today to go through it?

COCO GAUFF: I think just accepting when she hits a winner. There is points that I thought I played well, and she just came up with a good shot. I forgot the score, but she hit an amazing down-the-line forehand, and I thought I had a pretty good backhand, not a winner, but enough to get her on defense. It clearly wasn't enough.

That's the only thing you can do is clap your hands and keep on moving. I think for me, playing her, I just tried to focus on my end of the court and let her hit her winners or not and try to be aggressive when I could.

I honestly didn't have a lot of chances today. I think I definitely won more points on the defense.

Q. I wanted to ask you about the conditions today. How was it earlier in the day when you perhaps warmed up, and how was it later when you went out on the court and even towards the end of your match where it definitely must have gotten colder?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it was definitely windy when I warmed up, so I was expecting that in the match. But, you know, playing a lefty I feel like in the wind is hard, more so on the returning side, because she definitely doesn't play like your typical lefty player. She's much more aggressive and hits the ball more flat.

On the serving aspect, I find it hard to return against lefties, because you just don't really see a lot on the tour.

But I definitely think -- I played a lefty in the doubles the first night, so I think that helped me with the returning. Because other than that, there was no other lefties, like hitting partners here, and my coach isn't a lefty, so I'm glad that I got that little bit of practice in.

Q. You are still playing a lot of doubles. It's been in the past decade an issue with single players maybe at some point to choose, like physically it's too complicated in tournaments. For you, is it clear you're going to keep playing doubles full time this year?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, definitely cutting back a little bit, but, I mean, in events like this, I feel like I have to play doubles. In Auckland I decided not to, and I think that was a good decision.

So definitely picking more -- you know, I feel like you're on these swings, and you want to compete like you kind of have no choice but to play if you want to play doubles and everything.

Yeah, I feel like my first match was today. Sitting around for five days. So I'm lucky that I got to just compete a little bit. And I didn't know I was going to be seeded. Couple players pulled out and I got a bye. Otherwise I would have been sitting and doing nothing, so I'm glad that I was able to get that first match in. Especially after a tough loss in Australia, at least I was able to combat that and get some wins under the belt.

Q. Grand Slams, you are going to play doubles this year too?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah. Honestly, Grand Slams are the easiest tournament to play doubles in because you have an extra day in between, so you don't really feel it, or at least me personally, I don't really feel it physically as much, and that's why you find more of the top players, especially on the men's side, playing doubles when they usually don't.

Yeah, I think Grand Slams are definitely the easiest as in the scheduling for doubles. These tournaments are definitely a little bit more hard. But, I mean, I practice two-a-days all the time, and doubles is not as intense as the practices that my coach puts me through sometimes (smiling).

Q. Last year you had a great clay court season with the final at Roland Garros. What do you expect for this year clay season?

COCO GAUFF: Hopefully another great season. Honestly, my season for clay wasn't that good until I got to that final at Roland Garros. So that was what made it a good season for me.

Maybe I can start the swing a little bit better, but, I mean, I will take another final and a bad start to the swing for sure.

Q. For Indian Wells and Miami, where you play at home?

COCO GAUFF: I'm hoping to do well there. I don't remember. I think I lost second or third round last year in both. I lost on my birthday, so I'm hoping I can win on my birthday if I play on my birthday. That's my goal for this year at Indian Wells.

Q. You mentioned that tough loss in the Australian Open. Some weeks after that, have you used to that moment to learn something? Give us your thoughts about it.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, definitely. I think today I used what I have learned in those moments. There was a couple of moments, looking back at the match, especially in the first set, I was up like 40-15 and 40-Love in Australia, and then I had those moments today and I was able to kind of convert them instead of losing that game.

It's definitely growth I think I have learned, and even my coach said after the match, It looks like you have learned from that experience.

I just hope I can keep learning and keep getting better. It's not always going to go my way, but the goal is just to give yourself the best chance for it to go your way.

Q. You talked about you had the feeling playing against someone you have been watching very often like a celebrity, but at the same time, do you think that it's kind of advantage for you? Because you have seen them playing a lot, and you kind of sense how your opponent plays and where maybe she can hit the ball or like that?

COCO GAUFF: Almost a little bit, yeah (smiling). And no. I mean, definitely when I was younger I wasn't like scouting. I was just trying to learn from them.

But definitely I feel like maybe not an advantage, because I feel like there is so much film on me and every player that it's not really an advantage but almost kind of is because you've watched them for so long that you have seen them win in the big moments and seen how they win in the big moments, so you kind of have that back engraved in your mind.

I think a little bit today I kind of not predicted but had an instinct on maybe where she was going to go. Was I right all the time? No. But sometimes. That's a little bit. But I think that was just from watching film. I don't know if that had to do with anything watching her growing up, but maybe.

Q. Your doubles partner spoke to us about her essay in which she had written in the Players' Tribune, and she also spoke about journaling. I wonder, do you journal? If so, for how long have you been doing it?

COCO GAUFF: I think I have been doing it since I was like seven years old, on and off. I mean, I'm not like every day writing everything.

I think that's what makes it even more better for me. I don't ever force myself to write. It's more so when I feel it.

I always bring my notebook with me, and I have gone through multiple. Sometimes I will be at a trip and I don't write in it at all and sometimes I write in it a lot. It's kind of nice. I like it. I feel like that's where you can really see authentic self and figure out what you can work on.

I definitely recommend everybody to try it. I always tell people don't force going into it writing every day. I don't even write every week sometimes. Just depends on how I'm feeling. Sometimes I feel like I need to get more of my thoughts down more often, and sometimes I feel like I already have a clear view of what I'm doing. And that's just life. You see your view clearer than others.

Yeah, I enjoy it. I don't know how long Jess has been doing it, but I read her Players' Tribune essay, and it was great. It was emotional.

You know, I have never been the one to ask her up close, because I felt like so many people were asking her already. I'm glad she was able to get those thoughts out.

Definitely probably not easy reliving a certain situation and sharing it to the world. I'm super proud of her for that.

Honestly, I look up to her in that way. You know, I have been experiencing it up close, and just seeing the way she carries herself, you would have never guessed all the things she's gone through.

So that speaks to her personality and speaks to her level of coolness. Hopefully I can have that (smiling).