INTERNAZIONALI BNL D'ITALIA

May 9, 2024

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

C. GAUFF/M. Frech

6-3, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Coco, can you talk us through your match.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it was a straightforward match today. I played pretty well. I think overall the game is going in the right direction.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Is Brad here with you?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah.

Q. What have the first few days of reuniting been like in terms of what the discussion has been over what you guys want to work on in Rome and leading up to Roland Garros?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, he came to France with me, so it's been about a week probably since he's been here.

Yeah, just being aggressive with the serve, playing higher on the second serve. Just being aggressive overall, more aggressive in general.

Q. A non-tennis question. Seems like it may have cooled down a little bit. Do you have any thoughts about the feud between Drake and Kendrick?

COCO GAUFF: I knew you were going to ask me this because you asked Naomi (smiling).

To be honest, yeah, I like Kendrick's songs more. Yeah, I think pretty much everybody I know is leaning towards him.

I do like Drake as an artist, as well. But, yeah, as far as like the rap battle that's going on, the rap beef, I think definitely Kendrick is winning.

Also Drake, like, dissed Serena so I have to go with Kendrick. Kendrick defended her. So, yeah, I have to go with him (smiling).

Q. Andy Murray is going to retire this year.

COCO GAUFF: It's official?

Q. No, no. I'm not breaking news here. That's the expectation. Your views on him, particularly what he's done for the women's game?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, my favorite video of him is at the press conference in Wimbledon where he was, like, the first male player. Honestly, it happens a lot in tennis where people say a stat, especially with the guys. I'll be like, Well, I did it (smiling). It's good when they specify.

I think for what he's done with the women's game, him and his mother as well, have done a lot. I would say he's one of the first male players to speak up about it.

On court he's just somebody that I don't get how you can't look up to him in a way with his situation battling with injuries. He's purely out here for the joy and the love of the game.

It's unfortunate that he has to kind of be forced to retire because of his injuries. Maybe he's not playing to the level that he wants. The guy just played incredible tennis in such a tough era. Did it even after with a metal hip.

I think you'll see him playing challengers or on Centre Court Wimbledon, and he's still giving it 100% of his all, which is something rare to see, especially when you're later in your career, somebody giving it their all, no matter who's watching. Could be in the back court or the center court.

I think a lot of players should learn from that. I think he's just someone who doesn't care about courts or where he's playing. He just wants to play. I think a lot of players can learn from that.

Q. Seems like player teams are expanding quite a bit. More and more players have more people around them. How different is the dynamic when it's just you and a few members of your team versus when there are more people around you? Is that different, particularly off court?

COCO GAUFF: Not really. I think everybody on my team knows me well enough now, so they know when I want to be alone, know when I want to be in the team atmosphere. I am someone, I don't like doing team dinners all the time. I'll do it a couple times a tournament. Some people like to eat every night. I'm eating with other players or my mom sometimes.

I think with the dynamic of the team, I have great people surrounding me and I can't ask for anything better.

Q. You've talked a lot in the past about your competitive nature, card games to on the court. When is the last time you felt that competitive nature boiled over where it actually hindered you?

COCO GAUFF: Actually, I don't know when it, like, hinders. Maybe when the negative aspect of just being too judgmental of myself, because you always want to strive to be the better player, be the best. Yeah, so probably just that.

But, like, as of late, I think it's always just been a boost for me. Sometimes, like, I play my best tennis when I'm down.

Yeah, but I don't think it hinders me that much. I think it's always been a motivator.

Q. Do you have a go-to gelato order when you're here?

COCO GAUFF: I've gone to this place called La Romana. It's pretty popular. In the U.S., I don't get this, I guess we have more fat flavors in the U.S. It's never one thing, it's a bunch of things.

Here I usually get pistachio and maybe like a caramel or something like that. I like to get, for sure, two flavors all the time. I think anything more than that maybe might be too much. I always like to get a cone because I like to eat the cone (smiling).