DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 16, 2025

Coco Gauff

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome back to Dubai. How was your preparation so far?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, so far, so good. I've obviously been here for a while since the early exit in Doha. Super happy to be back here and hopefully can have a better week.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Just curious what was your week like between Doha and here. When you have that time, how do you make use of it?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I took the next day off, then came here and just been practicing, playing a lot of practice set points.

Yeah, I think this time of the year, obviously Doha is a difficult tournament. It's a little bit of a ways. You go from Australia, where I played basically back to back, then have a little break.

It's just playing a lot of practice sets and hopefully having a better showing here.

Q. I saw you had Valentine's Day with your mom at Dubai Mall. What was that like?

COCO GAUFF: It was super fun. We just went to the Mall, ate dinner, did something. She's here with me. She can't spend it with my dad, so I felt like I had to be the one taking her out because I'm taking her away from her Valentine (smiling).

Q. Did you have the chance to read the decision with Jannik Sinner? Do you have a reaction to it and an opinion on the fact it was a settlement, different permutation?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, honestly I'm not like up to date on the, like, things of WADA and things like that. I didn't know anything like a settlement was a thing or anything like that. The more popular cases, we see it more as a decision.

But, yeah, I mean, I have no really opinion or thoughts on it. I didn't really read much even before about how his case went and the details of it.

Yeah, I trust that everyone is doing what they can to protect the sport. As a player, that's all I can hope for. Yeah, that's all I have to say on that.

Q. This is a bit of a strange time because there are high-profile cases.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah.

Q. Do you think you're going to at some point learn more about what's going on? Is there any sense of: I need to pay attention? Also you're being asked about it.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah.

Q. It's even weird for us because we're having to deal with that and learn more about it. From your end...

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, no, even beforehand, I would say about a year ago, I had, like, an hour meeting with them just to learn more when it came to our whereabouts and things like that. I guess now even more so about contamination and things like that.

Me personally, I'm not on any supplements or vitamins. I only take Advil because I get scared to take medicine. But I definitely think the process needs to be a bit more up to date.

I remember one time I was, like, sick, I didn't know what I could take. I got a response two or three days later. At that point, don't need it (smiling).

But yeah, I definitely think the process needs to be more up to date when it comes to players knowing what we can and can't take.

Obviously with the contamination thing, I would say that they are definitely pretty thorough on that side of thing, at least with my meeting with them.

Yeah, I know Chris Eubanks went to a meeting in Australia, he asked me if I had any questions. He kept me up to date with that. I couldn't go because of a time conflict.

As a player, all these cases, you're more on edge because at least from what I know, I don't think any of us are trying to intentionally do anything.

I think overall it's wanting to learn more information and not doing anything that can potentially put your career at risk.

Yeah, hopefully these next couple months I'll try to get more details and things like that.

Q. Does a result like the one in the Sinner case put some doubt for you or is it something you can digest easy?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, like I said, I mean, with all the past previous famous doping cases, I haven't really, like, paid that much attention to them. I guess Jannik was the first one, like, I didn't know you could get something in your system from like a cream or something like that.

But yeah, I know for me I guess that's the reason why I don't really take anything and things like that. But yeah, you definitely want to get more information.

I definitely think players are more aware of what they're putting into their bodies. Yeah, even the minor, minor thing can take you out. That's the unfortunate thing.

I just hope it's more for the protection of the sport and not just out to, like, get players.

Q. As a young player, young champion, also a leader of the sport, I wonder what you take away from WTA's handling of Rybakina-Vukov case. Does it put faith in yourself that a decision like this was taken given that the WTA has stood up many, many times like with Dokic? I just want your thoughts on that.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, that case is I guess a very interesting one which I feel like I don't want to comment on just because of the fact I know Elena. From my understanding, I know she doesn't like the decision. I know WTA also has the right to protect her.

I think it's one of those things where I'm just, like, I'm going to stay out of it. But overall in the whole case, I think it's nice that the WTA is making sure that they're out there to protect players.

I know they have stuff in the bathroom stalls for us to anonymously report things, all these meetings and things. I definitely feel protected by them.

But as far as that case, because the person involved in the case doesn't agree with the decision, I don't want to, like, speak on it regardless of what my opinions are.

Q. Speaking of safeguarding, we have to do courses ourselves because we're near you. Even though it sounds like basic things, just the emphasis of reporting, it kind of sticks in your head. Just you, if you see something, how tricky is it to get involved in someone else's business like that, but also knowing the history of things that have happened in the past in the sport? You do need to speak up. Can you talk about how tricky that is.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, for me I would say I haven't personally seen anything crazy. But obviously I hear stories on tour and things like that. I guess I can't really report anything I don't see. But obviously if I see something, especially you can anonymously do things, so...

Yeah, I definitely think that that's important in our sport because a lot of times if you look, sometimes victims don't even know they are a 'victim'. In this sport it's happened so many times. A lot of times you see former players speaking out like years after their career ended how they were treated.

I also think it's a unique sport where you're 14, 15, out of the country, most of the time you aren't traveling with your parents, so anything can happen.

From my sake, one of my parents have always been with me, when I was a minor especially, to avoid situations like that and make sure I had someone there. I know for everyone it's not the case.

We went through a course. I know with the new system, all our of support team members had to go through a course. Hopefully it goes for protecting the sports, not just tennis, but other sports as well.

Q. Your reaction in general to NBA trades, but also seeing Jimmy Butler in a Warriors jersey, how weird was that?

COCO GAUFF: It was kind of sad how the whole thing played out because I am a Heat fan. I don't know what goes on behind the doors, what we don't see.

I would say I'm disappointed. I'm obviously a fan of Jimmy's, so I'm going to root for him regardless of where he goes.

It's a struggling time to be a Miami sportsfan in general. I guess the Panthers are the only ones who are holding strong for south Florida. Yeah, hopefully we can have a better season next year.

Yeah, I'm happy for Jimmy. I like him. Hopefully he sticks around at some of the tennis tournaments, too (smiling).

Q. Following up on your Dubai Mall visit, any other places you would like to visit in Dubai?

COCO GAUFF: Honestly, I haven't done a lot of research outside of that. I've been to the top of the Burj Khalifa. I've done the dunes, not here, but I did it in Doha. We did it last year. That's like a whole-day thing.

I guess the beach is something I have to try out since I do love the beach. Maybe that might be my next thing. I guess I'll have to wait next year because the tournament's going to start, but yeah.

Q. I wanted to ask you about the US Open's decision to play mixed doubles ahead of the tournament. Do you like the decision?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, the thing with that, it's like an interesting situation because obviously I'm a mixed doubles player. Some rely on that and come. Yeah, it's an event that's been there forever.

On the other hand I know they're trying to get more singles players involved, maybe grow the sport, grow that aspect of the sport.

For me personally, I most likely won't be participating just because it's not a great time for me. I just think it will take away for the preparation from US Open.

As someone who loves doubles, as you guys know I play a lot, it's an interesting thing. I do think that it will maybe help grow that aspect of the sport, but also it takes away some opportunities for other players.

It's one of those things that I feel like I have to wait and see how it pans out over time, pans out after it happens and see how it can affect the sport in the whole.

But yeah, I probably won't be participating just because the timing isn't a good time for me. I did like playing the tiebreak set last year that Ben and I did. That was a great alternative to do both.

Q. Would you please outline psychological techniques you use to enhance on-court performance?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, for me it's a lot of positive affirmations. My coach is always trying to get me to speak light and positivity into my myself. For me, also focusing more on yourself.

When you're on the court, obviously you want to play your opponent. I think it's just having our goals we want to accomplish in that match, what is the process going to look like for the long run.

Being on tour, being a pro on tour, I had to learn to accept, trust the process, trust that when you're in the middle of working on things, you're not going to win all the time. Yeah, that's the hard part of just, like, losing matches when you're trying to work with something because, yeah, you just have that trust that in the long run those losses will turn into wins. For the most part it has worked for me. Immediately after, it does suck.

Thanks.