ROLAND GARROS

June 6, 2024

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

I. SWIATEK/C. Gauff

6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Coco, obviously a tough result today, but can you just talk about the match and then just your run to the semifinals here at Roland Garros.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, tough match for me. As always, she played at a tough level. I think I made a lot of errors. You know, overall I am happy. Well, I don't know about happy, but I'm proud of the run. I hope to go further next time.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You proved you can beat her on hard court, but can you explain how difficult it is to play her on clay, what the difference is?

COCO GAUFF: I mean, I don't know if it's a big difference in our particular head-to-head. I've lost to her on clay and hard. Yeah, I don't know if it plays much of a role, but she is tougher on clay. I think she's just more comfortable moving and the ball slows down so she's able to dictate the point how she wants.

Q. There was quite a frustrating moment for you in the second set with the serve that was then overruled. Can you just talk us through that moment and the frustrations going through your mind at that point.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think it was just overwhelming of everything. Obviously, I'm losing the match. When you're playing against her -- every point matters against anybody, but especially against her. I think it was just one of those moments, but I overcame it. I obviously won that game.

So I usually don't get too frustrated with decisions like that, but I think it was just a combination of everything going on in the moment.

Q. Just following up on that, do you think that that scenario, that tennis could bring in some kind of a replay appeal system like Hawkeye where the umpire or someone could look at a replay of that and then make a judgment based on that rather than having to do it in the moment?

COCO GAUFF: 100%. I think tennis is the only sport where not only we don't have the VR system, but a lot of times the decisions are made by one person. In other sports there's usually multiple refs in making a decision. I know the US Open brought some of it last year, I believe. I know we used it in our doubles at one point.

Yeah, I definitely think at this point it's almost ridiculous that we don't have it. Not also just speaking because that happened to me, but I just think every sport has it. Also, there are so many decisions that are made, and it sucks as a player to go back or online and you see that you were completely right, and it's, like, what does that give you in that moment?

Also, in situations you can call for the supervisor, but there's not much they can do from that standpoint. I definitely think as a sport we have to evolve, and we have the technology. They're showing it on TV, so I don't get why the player can't see it.

Q. I'm curious how you would describe your game plan going into today's match and whether you think the issue was the plan or the execution? Is it a plan that you would maybe try and implement again?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think it was the execution that I didn't do well on. I had a couple of break points early in the first set to break back. I made errors, a lot of short ball errors.

I think for the most part I do think I had the right idea, but I think I just made too many errors. I feel like I wasn't always, like, hit off the court today. I just feel like I made too many errors, especially on shorter balls.

Q. So when you are playing Iga, do you feel that you come on the court and you're going for smaller targets than you are and you're trying to be even a higher level of perfect? Is that something, or are you able to just sort of play? I'm just curious that dynamic of what's going through your head when you're going to play this person who I think on Monday just one spot ahead of you in the rankings? Seemingly close, but also you mentioned the head-to-head thing.

COCO GAUFF: If you're playing against anybody in I would say the top, like, 10, I feel like the margins are smaller. Even against Ons I felt like my margins were smaller. And that's just when you play higher-ranked players, you know that some mistakes that you make aren't going to -- when you're playing somebody who maybe isn't as experienced or just not as talented maybe, you know that eventually you're going to get back some of the mistakes.

When you're playing anybody, honestly, in the top 10 at this point, you know that you can't give anybody free points. Yeah, I feel like against her and against any top player you do feel like your margins are smaller because you know they're probably not going to give that back to you. If they do, it's not maybe at a scale of somebody who's less experienced.

Q. You talked about matchup, like some players are best or worse matchup compared to others. I wonder, do you feel like Iga is just a bad matchup for you? Is it just extreme bad luck it happens to be the World No. 1?

COCO GAUFF: She's a tough matchup for me, obviously. I think the numbers answer that question.

Q. You obviously came out trying to be really aggressive. You've talked a lot about wanting to play more attacking tennis. I'm curious how comfortable in a big match does that just feel playing that way?

COCO GAUFF: I actually didn't feel like uncomfortable today. I did make more errors than I'm used to, but I mean, I feel like I have to know that I'm developing and I'm changing the way that I played. When I started on tour, I was a lot, I guess, weaker than everybody, younger. I had to play a certain way to win.

Now if I want to transcend to the next level, there's a different way to play. Not that I can't play defense and I can't, you know, play -- not passive, but making them work for the point, but I also know if I want to win more and stay at the top, then I have to be aggressive in certain moments and especially against her.

A lot of times I got the ball that I wanted. I just made mistakes.

Q. Kind of a tough question, but can you talk about the rivalry in the near future or do you think it's something that you'll be able to turn around pretty soon? Do you think it's going to be tough for a while? What are your ideas sort of long-term?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think long-term I feel like it's definitely something. I can't sit here and say it's something I'm not going to want to turn around. I have to be positive and believe in myself. Today I felt very confident going into the match.

I know that there are things that I can improve to make this a closer score line. Like, first-serve percentage was pretty low, I think. From Rome to this week I improved a lot on my serve. Even though it's not where I want it to be, but going from, like, 15 double faults to maybe 3 or 4 today, I don't know, it's a big improvement.

I don't feel like my game is all the way developed yet. I feel like when I, I guess, feel like I reach my peak, then I can maybe answer the question, but I definitely don't think I'm there yet.

Q. How long do you think you'll think about this, maybe be disappointed in it, or until you are ready to turn the page and move forward and think about what's next, look ahead to Wimbledon, et cetera?

COCO GAUFF: I don't think not long because I have doubles tomorrow. I have a great partner, and I feel like we have a good shot to win. So I really want to win a doubles slam just so I can, you know -- I don't know. I don't want to say close that chapter of my career, but it's something that I feel like once I do it, I don't know if I will continue to chase more. Not saying I won't play doubles, but...

So I'm focused on that. I don't want to let -- one thing I learned from the final two years ago was I had to play a doubles final the next day, and I think I let the negativity of my loss the previous day take over into another Grand Slam final.

Same scenario basically; semifinal, semifinal. I just want to start on a clean slate, try my best to do what I can do to help my teammate and then probably after this tournament is over, I will think about it. But I'm going to give myself amnesia and just think about it later because I still have a chance at a trophy.