“Wasn’t Nervous”: Coco Gauff Reveals What Went Wrong Against Aryna Sabalenka at Ostrava Open 2020

World No.12 Aryna Sabalenka recently won against Coco Gauff in a thriller Round of 16 contest at the Ostrava Open 2020. The 16-year-old Gauff played beautifully throughout the match, but Sabalenka managed to find a way to win. The final scoreline of the match was 1-6, 7-5, 7-5.

Gauff started the match strongly, taking the lead after the first set. In fact, it took her just 22 minutes to thrash the Belarusian player 6-1 and take a one set lead. Unfortunately, she could not handle the pressure during the later parts of the second and the third set. Losing both sets in the final moments, Gauff missed out on a huge victory.

In the post-match press conference, the young American admitted that she gave away too many points to her opponent. She believed that if she was a little smarter, the result would have been different.

“I just need to play a little bit smarter on pressure points, to make my opponent play. I feel like I wasn’t nervous today. I think I just need to be smarter,” said Gauff in the press conference.

Gauff failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity. However, Sabalenka deserves appreciation as she did not let the American continue with her momentum and pulled it back soon.

Read More: Aryna Sabalenka makes a dramatic comeback against Coco Gauff at WTA Ostrava

“I really don’t like losing”- Coco Gauff

There was something beautiful about the young prodigy during the entire press conference. Not only did she accept her mistakes, but she was smiling on regular occasions, showing her positive attitude towards the game.

“I mean, I really don’t like losing, so I don’t look at it that way,” said Gauff with a smile.

She also talked about her mistakes and the areas on which she needed to work in the future.

“Sometimes I have tendencies, when it gets to the end, to rush out of the points when instead I should just put the ball in the court,” concluded the 16-year-old.

It has been a regular pattern in Gauff’s career graph so far. She plays well in the initial rounds but she usually chokes in the Round of 16 or quarter-finals.

In the Australian Open 2020, she managed to reach the fourth round but then lost to Sofia Kenin despite winning the first set. At the Top Seed Open 2020, she lost in the semi-finals. In the recently held French Open 2020, she could not go beyond the second round.

Gauff definitely needs to work on her game, especially in big matches. Her fans will certainly expect a lot more consistency in the coming years.