Coco Gauff has vowed to stay grounded heading into the US Open after winning the biggest title of her career so far at the Cincinnati Open.
The 19-year-old beat Karolina Muchova in straight sets to win her first WTA 1000 title and her third singles trophy of the season. Gauff has enjoyed a surge in form during the North American hardcourt swing where she has won 11 out of 12 matches played. Her sole loss was in the quarter-finals of the Canadian Open to Jessica Pegula. Earlier this month she also won the Citi Open in Washington.
Gauff’s next target is the US Open which will get underway next Monday. She reached the quarter-finals of the Grand Slam last year in what was her best-ever run at the tournament. As the second-highest-ranked American on the women’s Tour, the world No.6 can expect a high level of support from fans. As for living up to their expectations, Gauff says the key is to focus on herself.
“I think the biggest thing that I’ve learned is that everybody’s path for you is not what’s true, it’s not what’s going to happen. Even the path that you want for yourself may not happen,” she explained.
“I’m going to give it my all at the US Open. If things go great, that’s exciting. If not, I go back and work hard and get ready for the next one. That’s kind of the mentality you have to have.”
Despite her recent success, 2023 has been a roller-coaster for Gauff on the Tour. During the clay swing, she failed to win back-to-back matches at three consecutive tournaments before reaching the quarter-finals of the French Open. Then at Wimbledon, she suffered a surprise first round defeat to Sofia Kenin.
Gauff openly admits that her game is still a work in progress. Earlier in the summer she began working with Pere Riba and also has Brad Gilbert as a consultant. Gilbert is the former coach of Andre Agassi.
“I can’t control how I play. I couldn’t control my serve (in the Cincinnati final). But that’s the thing, for me, I try to tell myself literally from the first point I knew it was going to be a tough match. I was just accepting the good with the bad,’ said Gauff.
“I probably double-faulted the most I did in a while. That’s accepting the good with the bad, just keep persevering. So that’s what I’m going to do in the US Open.’
“I think this match really taught me a lot really just for maybe my whole career.”
Gauff is the youngest woman in history to have won the Cincinnati Open. At the US Open, she will be bidding to become the first home player to win the women’s title since Sloane Stephens in 2017.
