AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 10, 2025

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Coco, your thoughts on coming into Melbourne, especially after a successful United Cup.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I had a great time at United Cup, super fun. Probably the most fun event I've ever played. Feeling happy to be back in Australia, and looking forward to hopefully having a good two weeks.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What is your mindset going into the first Grand Slam tournament of the year? Obviously you've had some success outside of Australia. What are your thoughts coming in?

COCO GAUFF: I think just being relaxed and being chill. I think for me it's like I know I've been playing well, but you can't play well all the time. I know there's going to be some tough moments in this tournament. Hopefully I can get through them.

But I think just going in, entering with no pressure, just trying to stay in the moment and enjoy it as much as possible. That's what I've been doing the last few tournaments.

The results have obviously been good because of that. But just trying to learn to do that even when the results aren't so good.

Q. I'm curious how you would describe the last few months working with Matt, what are the big things that he's brought to you, working with JC, how their combination has worked together, any changes you've made, how you either approach big picture or even small things you're doing differently?

COCO GAUFF: Well, Matt and JC, first of all, they're very good people, instill a lot of confidence in me. When you step on court with confidence, it makes a big difference in your game. So just constantly having positive reinforcement.

Also, like, keeping things real, knowing there's going to be good days and bad days, never making me feel judged because of that.

Yeah, obviously there's been things in my game I've been working on, serve, a lot of things. There have been improvements. I feel it on the court. I think it's just a reminder to keep improving. Even if it's uncomfortable, trying to focus on that long-term path, making sure that I'm making adjustments that I need to hopefully have a good career long-term.

Q. (Question about being uncomfortable.)

COCO GAUFF: Oh, yeah, for sure. In Beijing, like, I won that tournament, and Wuhan, too, but I was uncomfortable on the court every match (smiling). I obviously didn't show it.

Like, I didn't show it because I knew that going into the tournament I wasn't going to allow myself get frustrated. Those are things you do when you're working on the game. You're working to break habits or create new habits. It's just finding that.

But yeah, I felt uncomfortable. In a good way, though. Just trying things you're not used to. Not in a bad way (smiling).

Q. On that subject of feeling comfortable or uncomfortable, you've now had a few months of this, and the results have been pretty astonishing, have you ever felt more comfortable in your own game generally, even thinking back to when you won the US Open, than you do now?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, definitely more than the US Open, for sure. Obviously I feel like I didn't play my best tennis in that tournament. I thought Cincinnati was my best tournament definitely. I feel more comfortable, like, now than ever I think at this point.

I think not even from the fact of the changes. I think I just realized, like, the importance of winning or losing a match. As athletes, we get caught up and losing feels like the end of the world, and winning feels like something we should do, not something we should be grateful for. No one makes us feel like that except ourselves. I think I just realized it's never that important. If I can step off the court and say I tried my best, that's all I can ask for.

I think every time I go onto the court, I just tell myself to try my best. If I miss a shot, most matches are decided by a few points. I think I just realize sometimes they're going to go my way and sometimes they're not.

Q. How different do you feel as a player with all these adjustments you've made to your game and grips, the toolbox you have on court? Especially watching you against Iga, maybe some patterns that used to work for her didn't work. You have other things you can do in that matchup. How do you feel with the arsenal, the tool box you have?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, for me I think I have a bit more tools to work with. Also I think just going for my shots more, being more okay with missing, taking chances. Before, I feel like I won a lot of matches just being able to get a lot of balls back. I realized that's not the way to play if I want to have more success on tour because girls are hitting harder and harder every day, being more aggressive.

Yeah, I just feel like that was the difference, that I'm able to be aggressive, but also run around the court if I need to. Against Iga, no matter how big of a hitter you are, you're going to have to run a little bit. Aryna said the same thing. She probably hits the biggest out of all of us. Yeah, it's a lot of running (smiling).

I think you have to take your chances when you can. I realize it's not only against her; it's against everybody. Yeah, the tour I think has so much depth that I feel like you have to try to bring your A game regardless of who you're playing, whether it's world No. 1 or world No. 100.

Q. Question about your first-round opponent. Your reaction to once again seeing Sofia Kenin, a Grand Slam champion here. What makes her so dangerous to see her so early in a tournament of this size?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, for me, I obviously I lost to her at Wimbledon. She's obviously a great player. She won this tournament. I think she's a great mover, has great groundstrokes, pretty steady player, can play aggressive, also play really good defense. It's going to be a tough match.

My reaction? I found out on court when I was doing the mixed doubles last night. I haven't really thought about it much since.

I think it's good for me, though. I've had pretty much I feel like every match this year so far has been against tough opponents. I think that's one thing I thank United Cup for, it was kind of the first tournaments in a while, outside of WTA Finals, where I had to play a top player soon.

I feel like I definitely am match ready for that type level that Sofia will bring.

Q. What time of day do you prefer to play?

COCO GAUFF: Honestly I like everything. Like, I mean, maybe no one ever likes the graveyard shift, but I love night because the energy of the crowd. I mean, I love day 'cause I feel like I can handle the heat just being from Florida basically better than anyone other than people from Florida.

Yeah, honestly, I mean, US Open, that's probably one of the tournaments I get to request a few things. Yeah, I've requested both day and night. I don't care honestly. I'm one of those players that doesn't care.

Obviously no one likes to play after the men the second night match. You never know how long they're going to go. I prefer not that. If I have to be up late, I'm ready. I usually don't go to sleep till midnight or 1 a.m. regularly. I like the nighttime.

Q. Is it ever tough to wake up early? Do you not like playing at 11 a.m.?

COCO GAUFF: No, because when I practice at home, I practice, this off-season, 8, 9 a.m. because I like to have that. When I practice, I practice early just 'cause I like to have the afternoon to myself.

I can get up early. I'm not, like, slow to wake up. Once I get some food in me, I'm pretty much good (smiling).

Q. You obviously have a very exciting rivalry with Iga. Lately you have been able to get some wins under your belt. Do you see a drop in her confidence level after what she's gone through after the doping case?

COCO GAUFF: No. I mean, I wouldn't say she's dropped her confidence. For me, I don't know like her personally well, but just from the interactions that we've had, I definitely don't think anything she did was intentional.

I feel like I don't think she was maybe -- I mean, like I found out with the rest of the world. I don't think she is not confident in herself. She's playing great tennis. The match we played, I just happened to be a little better that day, maybe won a few points. It could have easily went the other way.

I think she's fine. I don't know her well enough to tell you if she feels some type of way about it. Yeah, I can just say from what I see I think she's doing fine. She's still No. 2 in the world and playing amazing tennis. She's always going to play amazing tennis, so...

Yeah, I think she'll be fine.

Q. Question about Iga as well. There was a period where that head-to-head was a bit lopsided. When you have a situation like that, do you have to say you have to make some tweaks specifically to this player or do you just say that you trust eventually it will turn around?

COCO GAUFF: I guess I just trust. I know not just against her, but anyone, I know I have to make some adjustments. Everybody's making adjustments just to try to do better and win.

Honestly in that situation, playing her, obviously especially now at this point, the head-to-head is still bad (smiling). It's just one of those things, if you lose, whatever, it's another one on the board. If you win, great.

Yeah, I just think of it like that. Instead before I think I put too much pressure, I lost to this person so many times. Honestly it doesn't feel like we played each other that many times. I'm like, How many times are we going to see each other?

I think it's just one of those situations where I know I feel like what I have to do against her, but is it going to work that day. It's kind of like how you execute or how she executes.

I feel like now when we play each other, it's off of a few points. Even though our match is 4-4, it could have been easily the other way, or three sets. It's just down literally to three or four points. That's tennis. When we loses matches in general, it's down to three, four points because she is a great player.