NATIONAL BANK OPEN

August 9, 2024

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

D. SHNAIDER/C. Gauff

6-4, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Tough one tonight, Coco, but Diana's a great competitor. Your thoughts on the match.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I felt like I just wasn't finding my timing well, I had a lot of unforced errors and a lot of double-faults. She played steady and she didn't give me any free points, so kudos to her.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. First time playing against your competitor tonight, and she's been having a real strong summer and strong season. What did you notice most about her game and did anything surprise you out there tonight from her?

COCO GAUFF: No, I watched her play a lot, so she played how I thought she was going to play. I knew the match wasn't going to be easy, especially if I wasn't on my game. I think I had a lot of opportunities to close the point and I just missed a lot. In that 5-4 game I think all four points I had chances to hit a winner or close the point.

Then the second set I mentally just got frustrated and kind of just let it get away from me.

Q. Same for both players, but can you speak to the conditions out there, the wind seemed to be playing with you a little bit at times.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, it was windy, but I'm from Florida so I'm used to the wind. It makes it tricky, especially playing against a lefty, and then also she's a very talented player, so I think she kind of knew to just stay steady because I was giving her a lot of errors. She normally hits big when I see her play, but I think today I was just giving her too many errors, so it wasn't necessary for her to do that.

Q. Did you feel you had sort of adequate time to rest mentally and physically between this event and the Olympics?

COCO GAUFF: I mean, I knew I was going to go into this tired either way, that's just how it is. Yeah, there's sometimes I question like whether I should have played or not, but at the end of the day I wanted to test myself and see if I would be able to, how I would do being mentally tired a little bit and physically fatigued.

I said going into the tournament I didn't have high expectations, but I wish I could have competed better today, even if it resulted in a loss. I don't think I competed well.

Q. After the match what is the impulse from you? Is it, I want to get right back onto the practice court and get reps, things like that, or I just don't want to think about this, what is your impulse after the match?

COCO GAUFF: I think I need to, I want to go back and practice. I felt like a lot of my errors were on shots I feel like are more my strong suit. I think I missed a lot of backhands today, which that's my stronger side. Yeah, so I feel like I need to get more reps in.

Also, I don't know, it's like a fine balance of trying to rest, because I know the next three, four weeks are going to be long and tough, but also wanting to feel prepared for that.

Q. I know it's hard to see now, but going into this week was actually your 100th consecutive week in the top 10. Just kind of how much pride do you take in that accomplishment, knowing how hard it is to be that consistent at that level?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it's very cool. They told me earlier this week that that was the thing. Yeah, it's cool. Yeah, I mean, it shows that I'm consistent, which is great. I want to keep pushing towards the top and keep trying to just win tournaments. So, I mean, I guess staying in the top-10 is a great accomplishment, but it's not like a goal, I guess. Obviously if you keep winning, then that's the reward for it, so it is a show of all the work I've put in week-in and week-out on tour.

Q. Curious when, for example, the forehand or the serve isn't working for you what are you thinking to yourself and how are you trying to hang in there and to compete and to stay with the points, and do you feel like you were able to do that tonight or was that more difficult for you to do in the first place?

COCO GAUFF: I think overall, like, there is no part of my game that I felt comfortable in today. Returning-wise, you know, earlier this year I think, I don't know where I'm at on the return, but I was like the No. 1 winning percentage returns won. I feel like today I just missed so many returns, backhand, forehand, serve, everything was just feeling off the whole day. So, yeah, it just wasn't a good day at the office, but I can move on from it. These are all things that I feel like I can easily fix, it just comes to getting more reps. I didn't have the usual preparation I usually have going into this swing, so I'm trying to keep everything in perspective. But, yeah, there's no excuse either. Diana, I think she played exactly how she needed to play to win.

I even felt that in my last match, I didn't really feel very comfortable, I just was able to edge those out. So, yeah, I think today I'm just going to try to learn from it, and I feel confident going into the next couple weeks, because I do feel like I'm building the points the right way, I'm just making a lot of errors, so I just got to find the court.

Q. No doubles here in Toronto this year, but do you plan on playing doubles in Cincinnati and at the US Open, and if so do you know who that will be with?

COCO GAUFF: No, I'm not going to be playing doubles. I just, the goal was to try to get as good as possible for the Olympics and then, yeah. Every week, week-in and week-out, I'm making the end of the week, if I'm playing singles and doubles usually I'm there at the semis at least in one event. Yeah, it's just tough to go week-in and week-out on tour, so that's the reason why. But maybe next year I'll play here and there. I won't be playing doubles as consistently as I have been in the past.

Q. So, no doubles in Cincinnati or at the US Open?

COCO GAUFF: No, no, nothing (laughing). Just singles. Yeah, focus on that.