MIAMI OPEN PRESENTED BY ITAú

March 24, 2024

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

C. GAUFF/O. Dodin

6-4, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Coco, another straight-sets win today. What would you say were your keys to victory today?

COCO GAUFF: I think today was just being aggressive against her. She's a big hitter. She likes the game on her terms. I was trying my best to get deep in the court and just weather the storm.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You dropped seven games in two matches. How are the conditions of the court? Very good?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I'm from here, so I'm very used to the heat. I do think, like, center court is slower than the practice courts, but quicker than it was at Indian Wells. It is still, like I feel like I'm adjusting to the court.

Overall I feel good so for. I'm trying to improve with each match. Definitely playing a little bit better than I was last week in Indian Wells. Really happy with how I'm improving.

Q. Can you talk about the impact Chrissie Evert has had on you?

COCO GAUFF: I'll be honest. I didn't grow up watching a lot of her tapes just because she was a couple generations past me. But I've gotten to know her off the court a little bit more.

She's a very, very kind person. She texts me sometimes. I always try to text her, especially with the recent news of her illness and everything.

As far as like her impact on tennis, she's definitely, if you talk about tennis, she's one of the first names people think of. Just timeless. I always get videos of her on court style looks on my page. I feel like I know her more for that.

I think once I turned pro is when I watched a little bit more of her old tapes. It's definitely a different game. I wouldn't say I modeled my backhand after hers. Well, my team tried, then I tried to model it after Novak Djokovic a lot. That's where that inspiration comes from.

Yeah, she's definitely obviously very knowledgeable of the game, a very kind person.

Q. Regarding your backhand, I was wondering, a little bit technical, when you are hitting your backhand, are you feeling you are using your right hand more than left hand or hit more with left hand?

COCO GAUFF: I think for me, my backhand most of the time when I'm making corrections if I miss it in the net, I'm always saying to use more left hand.

Everybody is different. I don't know. I've been taught to use more of your left hand on the backhand. The right kind of helps you get the power, but the left is definitely what you use for the control and to change the height and everything.

I would say the left hand if you want to have diversity in your backhand is the most important for beginners trying to do a two-handed backhand.

Q. Back to Chris, not asking you to divulge what she messages you, but what's the type of message she'd be sending you? Do you get messages from other past champions as well? Who might they be?

COCO GAUFF: A lot of her messages are just advice on some matches or just, Good job, How are you doing, regular messages.

I do get some messages from past players, not as many as people would think. I would think the only person honestly, other than Chrissie, is Mary Joe, who I've grown up with a lot with Tony Godsick, being the agency I grew up with. Once a blue moon Roger will send me a message. That's always pretty cool when he does.

I can't think of any on the top of my head other than those two right now. But there's more, I'm sure.

Q. Another good win for Navarro today. She seems to have hit these last six months a different level of form. How do you see her development?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I'm not surprised by her being top 20, honestly. I would say like maybe how fast, it happened so fast. When we played in juniors, she's always had an all-around game.

She's a great athlete. She's a very smart player. I played her in Auckland. Even though the scoreline seemed a little bit easier, but the match was difficult. Yeah, she's giving the top players trouble. She's not somebody you want to see early in the tournament.

Yeah, I'm really happy for all the success that she's having. She's a hard worker from what I hear. Yeah, I'm not surprised by it at all.

Q. Talk about your next potential matchup, Garcia is playing Osaka.

COCO GAUFF: Played both of them. Also with Caroline, she's always a tough player to play. I think the most recent time we played was US Open like two years ago. Probably even sooner. I can't remember the most recent time. I think I lost to her the most recent time.

She's tough. We all know how she plays. Takes the ball super early, plays very aggressive.

Naomi coming back from having her daughter, I saw her play against Elina last night. She was playing a good, high level of tennis. They kind of play similar in a way, just different. It's like weird. Both big hitters, very aggressive.

I think for me it's going to be important that I just kind of stick to my game and get the ball deep in the court and not letting them run me around on the court.

It's kind of going to be a big matchup, regardless of who I play.

Q. Regarding Naomi, last year she came to watch your match and you exchanged some nice words. When she came to your match last year, is that possible to expect that you're going to play her this short period of time?

COCO GAUFF: I knew that she came to the match after the match. I actually didn't see her in the stands.

Yeah, I think I expected to play her again when she came back on tour. Especially her not being seeded because her ranking dropped a little bit, you're going to get her eventually. I really thought I was going to play her in Indian Wells.

I'm hoping to play her here. I think we have great matches against each other. She's definitely a champion of our sport. Regardless of her being gone, I still think she's one of the best hard court players. It will be a real test for me.