The biggest title of Coco Gauff’s career could only come in front of a crowd in the US. The Atlanta player became the youngest WTA 1000 champion from Cincinnati and the fourth American to win the Western & Southern Open after Lindsay Davenport, Serena Williams and Madison Keys.
Her first WTA 1000 became reality thanks to her clear victory obtained in the final against Karolina Muchova. Gauff was good at managing the crucial moments of the match with courage and determination.
When she served for the second time to close the challenge, she didn’t tremble and showed all the progress she had made from a mental point of view despite her very young age.
Coco is one of the strongest tennis players on the Tour, and still has great room for improvement. In Cincinnati she achieved her first victory with Iga Swiatek, and this is no coincidence, with less than seven days before the start of the 2023 US Open.
At Flushing Meadows, Gauff will be one of the players to beat and not an outsider. She will play in front of the New York crowd to win the tournament and finally become the heiress of Venus and Serena Williams.
Who can fight it? The usual: Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Ons Jabeur. What we have seen in recent days is a great psycho-physical form for the American, who, if she manages to manage the emotions and pressure of playing in front of a friendly crowd, she will be able to reach the end of the tournament.
Gauff: “I’m really happy. It’s not easy to play against Muchova”
In the press conference after winning the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, Coco explained: “I’m really happy with the way I handled the whole week. I had two big wins in the last two days. It’s never easy to play against Karolina, it’s great to see her come back to the top.
I think she is one of the most talented tennis players on the Tour and I am sure she will continue to make great strides. Sometimes the pressure builds because I know that the Black community, especially after Serena Williams’ retirement, sees me as the next leader. I don’t want to get into this discussion, because Serena is the greatest player of all time. I don’t know if I will ever be able to reach her level. Mine is a dream. I simply want to do my best to always be the best version of myself on and off the court.
Vote for the week held in Cincinnati? I would probably rate it a 6 today. I didn’t serve well, but mentally my grade is 10. My greatest weapon didn’t work and I was able to do it anyway. Overall I’d probably say an 8 or 9. I think it was our worst game today.
US Open? You have to give everything you have, that’s what you can do. I will give my all at the US Open. If things go well, that will be great. If not, I’ll go back to working hard for the next engagement. This is the mindset you need to have. I think this final has taught me a lot; a lesson that I will carry with me throughout my career.”