THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 5, 2024

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

C. GAUFF/S. Kartal

6-4, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Coco, another win. Through to the fourth round. How does that feel?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it feels great to be through to the second week. Happy with how I played. She was playing really well in the first set. Happy to get through.

Q. What would you say you changed tactically or mentally going into the second set?

COCO GAUFF: I think a lot less errors. I think in the first set, she doesn't give you much pace, so you have to generate a lot of it. When you do, she kind of uses your pace against you. I was missing a lot of, like, short balls, things maybe just going for too much. In the second, I tried to go for more margin and wait for the right one.

It's kind of finding the balance. Obviously I hit some clutch backhands on the back of the line and one down the line. It's tough to find the balance of when to go for it and when not to.

Q. The other day you spoke about the importance of focus in early-round matches. What's it like to be the favorite in all of these matches and how does it affect your mentality?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it does put pressure, I think. Sometimes if you lose, it's going to be a whole big thing. Then also at the same time, you know your ranking is there for a reason. You know that you're the favorite for a reason. So it's all about who can last in those moments.

Usually when you're ranked higher, you have more experience in those -- it's not always the case -- but you have more experience in those tough pressure moments. I knew today when it got close, I knew I had more experience when it came to playing on a big court, playing in these tough moments, so I just had to trust myself.

Q. What's your relationship like with Emma, going to be on your Olympic team?

COCO GAUFF: I was thinking of Emma Raducanu because she just won (smiling). Emma Navarro obviously.

No, she's great. I've known her since I was young. Basically since I started tennis. I think we played once in juniors, not even ITF level. I think it was USTA level. That's, like, a long time ago. Then obviously I played her this year in Auckland.

She's a tough opponent. I always knew just watching her play, I mean, a lot of people think her ranking is a surprise. Just growing up with her, I always knew she was very talented and knew her game would translate well on tour. I think she has a very all-court game. Playing her is going to be a tough match. She's had some good wins this tournament. I don't expect it to be easy.

Relationship-wise, we're very friendly with each other. I wouldn't say we're, like, close friends, just because we grew up, but then we kind of split because she went to college. But we're always very friendly with each other. I'm super excited to be on the same Olympic team with her. She's a very, very nice person. Her family is nice.

So I'm very excited to be able to play against her and then play on the same team as her in the Olympics.

Q. You're played with her because you were playing up?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah. My dad. I used to be 12 playing 18 and under.

Q. Wimbledon last year was a little frustrating for you. This year going better. What are you doing better at Wimbledon this year?

COCO GAUFF: I don't know. I was serving better last year. Honestly, I had a tough first round last year. Sonya was playing really well.

I think this year I'm just playing with a lot more confidence, trusting my ground game a lot, and returning a whole lot better. I think my return percentage has gone up a lot. I think when you're just putting a lot of returns in the court, you get into the point, it puts a lot of pressure on your opponent. On top of that, when I'm serving well, it can be difficult. I think it's just a lot of pressure.

Honestly, I think the returning has made a big difference.

Q. What sticks out in your mind the most, if there's one particular moment or memory, from your first time here in the main draw?

COCO GAUFF: I think just walking to Court 1 against Venus, it was a long walk. I think today walking, it was only like a five-minute walk. At that moment it felt like 10, 15 minutes. I was waiting for her quite a bit. I don't know if that was like her thing, but we did wait for her for like 10 minutes to actually show up for the call time.

Then walking, there's pictures of all the champions, juniors and pro. Obviously she's up there for singles and doubles. I was just keeping my head down the whole time. I think that's the most memorable moment.

Also playing Polona Hercog, that match point. I was not a very confident slicer at that time. It was kind of ironic that that kind of kept me in the match. I would not have considered myself a slicer. I don't now, but I feel way more confident in it.

Q. The fourth round that year, you've been back, you are back at that round. You go to these tournaments, I'm assuming, with the thought of leaving with a trophy.

COCO GAUFF: Yes.

Q. Not getting to the quarterfinals. But because it's something you haven't done yet here, does that feel like an important step or no, because there's more down the road that would eventually interest you?

COCO GAUFF: I think no, just because, like, honestly, I feel like at this point, it feels as if losing in the fourth or the quarterfinals, feels the same in a way just because I do have such big aspirations.

I think I feel like it sucks to say this, but once you win, you kind of take it for granted. I try not to obviously. When you make a lot of quarterfinals in slams, in general it just makes you want to make it to semifinal. You make a couple semifinals, you want to make the final. It doesn't feel like a big comp or anything.

Obviously it would be really special here because I think the final eight club is the most established here. That would be really cool to get that.

Honestly, I think it would feel just as bad if it was fourth or quarterfinals. Semifinals, that's a different story. I think I would feel better in the semis.

Q. This is the third time you've made the second week at Wimbledon. How special is the tournament to you? You made your breakthrough here.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it is very special. I say this all the time. It's definitely the most nervous I get when it comes to slams. It's just something special, the history behind this tournament. It just feels very exclusive. Even though, yes, it's my fifth time, but every time just feels new and, like, it doesn't feel like I've done this before. It always feels fresh every time.

I think that's why I just always have special memories maybe. I don't know if it's because it was my first big tournament. I don't know if that's the thing, or just Wimbledon in itself. For some reason, I always get nervous here, especially in the first round.

Now I'm past that, so I'm okay.

Q. You spoke about a nice rapport with Emma. How does having a good relationship with your opponent affect the mentality going into a match?

COCO GAUFF: It doesn't really affect a lot for me. I feel like in general I'm friendly with a lot of the girls on tour. Maybe not close friends. Obviously there's a couple I'm close friends with. Most of the girls I'm very friendly. It doesn't affect anything.

I think, if anything, it makes the match more fun to play. You anticipate it more because you know you're playing a good competitor and you know you're playing with someone who really treats the game with a lot of respect. You're going to go out there and you're going to fight hard and be respectful. I think that's something I look forward to.

Against her, I think Emma is a very good player of the game, just person of the game, and person off the court. I think it's going to be a fun match regardless.

But yeah, obviously it does suck sometimes to play, like, a friend or something like that when it comes to just emotional side of it, when it comes to losing or winning.

But I treat it the same. I think we're all grownups and we know this is just a tennis match.

Q. Having JC back on your coaching team, what does he add to that dynamic? What is it like being back with a coach who knew you when you were so young and worked on a different era of your game?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I love having JC back. I think he brings a lot to my game. I feel like I've improved a lot in just the short amount of time we've been together, especially when it comes to just efficiency of like footwork. It is tough to improve on that, like, in-season. I do think that is something I've improved a lot since maybe the start of when we started till now.

Then being with him, knowing him, it just didn't feel like a change. It just felt right. Sometimes when you're with a new coach you've never met it can be tough because you have to learn each other and then hope it works. I knew with JC it was going to work. I had no worry about that.

I know he's a great coach, very nice person. He knows me well. He knows my family well. It's very good to have him back. Yeah, he's definitely family.