THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 7, 2024

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

E. NAVARRO/C. Gauff

6-4, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Coco, tough loss today. Give us your thoughts.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it was a tough match. She played well. Yeah, I think she played great tennis. There was moments in the first set that I had chances to capitalize on the break.

Yeah, tough match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What do you think she did so well today to get the win?

COCO GAUFF: I thought she did well staying on the baseline, which I know how she plays just from playing her before. But she really did well timing my hardballs to her, which isn't easy to do on grass.

Also she hit a lot of, like, I think extra balls back like slices, mixing it up. Overall I think she played well. I think she returned well today, especially on my second serve.

Q. We could see you talking back and forth with your box. What about your game plan, if that's what it was, were you unsatisfied with or wasn't working?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think we had a game plan going in. I felt that it wasn't working. I don't always ask for advice on the box. Today was one of those rare moments where I felt I didn't have solutions. I don't want to say I didn't have any because I think I'm a capable player of coming up with some. I think today mentally there was a lot going on. I felt like I wanted more direction from the box.

Q. That dynamic of wanting more direction, has that happened before? Is it something you have talked about? How do you foresee working that out?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it's happened before. I wouldn't say it's happened before with the combination of JC and Brad, but it's happened before in the past where I felt like I needed more direction. They usually give me something.

I felt today I don't think we were all in sync. It's no one's blame except myself. I mean, I'm the player out there. I have to make decisions for myself on the court.

Q. What frustrated you most about yourself and what frustrated you most about what Emma was doing?

COCO GAUFF: Myself? I think I went away from the things that I like to do. I think I went away from that. She was playing well. I mean, I was just coming after her. I think that's probably one of the better matches she's played this year. It's kudos to her. I knew she was going to play well.

I think I had the ability to raise my level when players play well, and I feel like I didn't do that today.

Q. (No microphone.)

COCO GAUFF: Just a lot of practice. I do think that the last couple matches, it's been better than it has in the past compared to maybe Australian Open this year to now.

I think I have a lot of work to do on it, honestly on both my forehand and backhand. This tournament, I feel like it could have been better on both sides when it came to those low balls, the short slices you get on grass.

But I am happy with the progress. Obviously I know if I want to get further, not only in this tournament but in future tournaments, it's something that I have to continue to work on.

Q. How much did the fact that you were one of the few remaining top seeds left play on your mind? That's not very unusual in women's tennis, but did that add any pressure?

COCO GAUFF: Not really because I've seen and played so many slams where anybody can win. The seed is just a number, just an advantage so you don't play another seed first round. That doesn't mean you can't lose, as we've seen a lot of seeds drop out. We've seen defending champions drop out.

It means nothing. Especially on my side of the draw, even though the players may not be as known, but they're so talented. I think that's something that people, fans of the game, are a little bit disrespectful when it comes to other players on tour.

Maybe their ranking isn't there, but the level is there. They're here for a reason. They deserve their spot. There's no easy draw. There's no cakewalk or anything. This is a competitive sport and we all want to win.

I've been there where I was ranked whatever, an unknown. It would be disrespectful for another player to be like, This girl is ranked whatever, and she's this age, I should be able to win. That's not the case.

I don't take my seed into account when it comes to anything. I take every match with a very competitive mindset regardless of the ranking or the person I'm playing against.

Q. You have doubles tomorrow. What is your process in terms of looking back on what didn't go as well as you wanted it to go, getting over that?

COCO GAUFF: I mean, honestly, my mind is on the Olympics. Especially in doubles, I wouldn't say I'm looking at the Olympics. I'm looking at us as a team how can we improve to be a good contender for a medal in the Olympics because we haven't played that much this year.

I'm still going to look at this match. I have to look at it if I want to improve not only for the Olympics but also for the rest of the season and seasons beyond.

I think I'll maybe not watch it until after the tournament's over just for the mind. But I definitely would say that I have to learn from today because it's not going to be the first or last time that a player plays a great match against me, and I have to figure out when those moments happen how to raise my level.

Q. You talked about the depth in the women's game. Do you think it's as deep as it's ever been?

COCO GAUFF: Well, I don't want to say that just because I didn't really watch, like, years and years ago. But I will say being on tour till now, I do think that the depth is there. I feel like when I look at the past champions of this tournament, you'll see people winning like three, four times in a row. If you're Martina, a couple more than that.

I do think when you see seven different champions, seven or six different champions in the past few years, I think that just shows there's so much depth in the game.

I think it's great. I think it makes the sport entertaining. Again, there's no easy matches. I think in the past you would almost look at a player and say, Yeah, she's guaranteed spot quarterfinal, in the past, maybe decades ago. You can't really say that now. I think that's great.

I think it pushes me as a player to want to be better.