Coco Gauff dismissed claims that her Miami Open exit was influenced by further stress to do properly in her dwelling event because the American tennis star underlined that she did not really feel any nerves going into her match in opposition to Caroline Garcia.
Gauff, who was born in Delray Seashore, Florida, is an area in Miami and it isn’t a secret that got here to this 12 months’s event hoping to win her first title. However on Monday, third-seeded Gauff’s Miami run ended within the round-of-16 following a 3-6 6-1 2-6 loss to Garcia.
Within the majority of WTA 1000 degree tournaments, Gauff has had a minimum of one deep run. However relating to Miami, Gauff has but to make a extremely notable run. Now, the American has two round-of-16 showings in Miami – one third-round outing – and twice she misplaced within the second spherical.
When reflecting on her loss to Garcia, Gauff acknowledged there wasn’t a lot consistency and admitted that getting damaged within the second sport of the third set performed an enormous position in how the decider went.
“The match mainly was an up-and-down match. She performed aggressive, which I knew coming in. I believe it was actually essential for me to only change the peak of the ball, and I did that properly for almost all of the second set,” Gauff mentioned.
“Then beginning off the third with an early break I believe simply fully modified the momentum.”
After her newest Miami run that ended early, the 20-year-old was requested if further stress could also be in charge for that.
“Probably not, no. I believe actually it is simply powerful matches through the years,” Gauff mentioned.
“I imply, I really feel like I understand how to play with dwelling stress, particularly after the entire U.S. swing final 12 months, so I did not really feel any nerves coming in immediately or in any respect this week.
“I truly felt actually good, as a result of I felt like I did not play that properly in Indian Wells. Then coming right here, my first two matches have been good. And even immediately, the extent may have been higher, so I do not assume it had something to do with being dwelling.”
Gauff underlines each loss is hard, attracts one constructive from her Miami loss
For Gauff, failing to do properly in Miami actually wasn’t one thing she wished. However when requested if shedding at her dwelling event was notably heavy, she underlined that she just about will get harm the identical by each loss.
“Sure and no. I believe I am the kind of individual each loss form of weighs on me heavy, particularly one like immediately the place I felt like I may have completed higher and I felt like I had the match in management, particularly after the second,” Gauff mentioned.
Regardless of a really disappointing Miami loss, Gauff was in a position to establish one constructive factor – her serve. Though Gauff confronted 5 breaks factors and bought damaged twice within the deciding third set, she was pleased that she was in a position to drastically cut back her double fault numbers in comparison with Indian Wells.
“Yeah, I undoubtedly assume I can. It is a powerful loss. I do assume one constructive is the serve,” Gauff mentioned.
“You understand, I bought damaged lots immediately. I do not assume it was due to my serving. I went from hitting 17 double faults in Indian Wells to I believe solely, like, two or three immediately. So I believe that is one thing that may proceed to enhance, but it surely did in a brief period of time.
“Actually, if something, it form of helps being dwelling so I can simply drive and be dwelling and be in my very own mattress (smiling).”
Gauff on her subsequent plans, the clay season
After concluding her Sunshine Double with an Indian Wells semifinal exit and a round-of-16 Miami exhibiting, Gauff will now flip her focus to the clay season.
However earlier than Gauff turns begins getting ready for the clay season, she can provide herself a few days of relaxation as her first scheduled clay event is a WTA 500 event in Stuttgart, which begins on April fifteenth.
After Stuttgart, Gauff additionally plans to compete at WTA 1000 tournaments in Madrid and Rome earlier than going to the French Open. For the top-ranked American feminine tennis participant, the clear objective can be to make some notable outcomes through the upcoming clay swing.
“Yeah, I’m excited. I want I may have did higher this tough courtroom season, however I’m excited for clay. I am enjoying Stuttgart as of proper now, after which clearly Madrid, Rome, and French Open,” Gauff mentioned.
When Gauff kicks off her Stuttgart marketing campaign in three weeks, she can be making her third look on the event. In her event debut in 2022, Gauff was overwhelmed by Daria Kasatkina within the first spherical. Final 12 months, the American earned her first Stuttgart win after beating Veronika Kudermetova within the first spherical however once more exited the event early after shedding to Anastasia Potapova within the round-of-16.
This 12 months, Stuttgart is once more set to function a star-studded participant discipline as Gauff is ready to be joined by Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and a few extra top-10 gamers.
It stays to be seen if Gauff can begin her clay season along with her first large Stuttgart consequence.