Paula Badosa was ranked 100 almost a year ago and guess what? She has now knocked the world number 3, Coco Gauff out of the 2025 AO. Badosa defeated Gauff by 7-5,6-4 in the QF and next up for her is her ‘soulmate’, Aryna Sabalenka. The fans are heaping praise on the Spaniard for her incredible comeback after suffering frequent injuries in the last few years. Coco Gauff, on the other hand, is receiving a lot of criticism for not delivering when it mattered! The American gave a firm response to those naysayers in her post-match press conference and she has now received support from her mother Candi Gauff.

Coco Gauff is just 20 years old and within this short span, she has seen quite a few ups and downs already. There were days when fans hailed her as the ‘next big thing in women’s tennis’ and then on other days, she was heavily criticized during her poor performances. With time, she has now become a lot more mature than she was a few years ago. However, in the match against Badosa, Gauff struggled with 41 unforced errors including 6 double faults and 28 missed forehands.

After seeing her poor performance in that match, some of the critics highlighted that her forehand and double fault issues might have just resurfaced yet again. Do these types of criticisms affect Gauff personally? Well, not really. “You just have to realize that most of the internet coaches never coached anyone at my level or never played…If people want to say things, it’s what it is. I take it with a grain of salt…I’m proud of myself and that’s all I can say,” Gauff said.

She further added, “So, it’s one of those things that it’s easier to look on the outside. You know, all those things when you’re playing and you’re commentating and you’ll hear some – not commentating but just people saying, ‘Oh she should have made this’ or ‘he should have made that.’ Even when I’m watching I do that, but obviously, when you’re out there, it’s different.”

After seeing this stern message from her daughter, Coco’s mother Candi Gauff shared a post on her IG stories highlighting Gauff’s comment with the caption, “@cocogauff any questions?” Gauff’s bond with her mother is pretty special, they are often seen having fun with each other.

Coco Gauff has often spoken about her parent’s incredible support in her tennis journey. In one instance, she said, “Both my parents are constant support all the time. My mom, it’s just a motherly thing. There’s nothing like a mother-daughter relationship. Especially in swings like Asia where it maybe is more isolated than usual, we just play Uno lot.”

In May 2024, during an interview, Gauff spoke about how her mother’s presence helped her during the Tour. She even hailed her mother as her “biggest fan”!

Top Comment by Eunice Wilson

Coco , keep knowing who you are and what you can accomplish. Has the media questioned ...more

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Is it the first time though that we’ve seen Coco Gauff taking a jibe at her haters? Definitely not, but has she come up with any specific methods to stay away from these negativities?

“Block it” – Coco Gauff on her approach to haters

Success at a very early age brings in expectations. Those expectations can then cause disappointments. Whenever Coco Gauff has struggled with her performances, she has received a lot of backlash on social media. Talking about that during an interview in November 2024, the American star said, “I honestly think maybe just because of how I entered the scene—people are very critical of me. I take it as a compliment. Maybe they’re critical about people that they feel like can do better, so I just try to be better.“

Previously during an interview at the US Open, Coco Gauff shared her strategy for blocking out hate. She said, “I’m not entitled to read negative things about myself. Just as you’re entitled to write that, I’m entitled to block it.”

Gauff even joked about how swiftly she blocks people on X, “They are, like, ‘You say anything, and she blocks.’ Yes, I do. I don’t want to see it, so bye.” Apart from blocking, there is another way for Coco Gauff to silence her haters. What’s that?

Well, that’s winning titles! After winning the 2024 WTA Finals, she shared a post with the caption, “Muah. Also, I know tend to focus on “doubters/haters” but this one is really for all of my supporters! Ya’ll held it down for me win or lose! I thank you for that. I see you and I appreciate you. And I know some of you are a little bit petty like me so it does feel nice to silence them for a bit.“

What did Coco Gauff say after a disappointing end to her campaign at the 2025 AO, though? Well, shortly after losing the match against Badosa, the American said she’s on the “upward trajectory,” however she admitted there’s a lot more work to be done. Do you think Coco Gauff will win her second major title in 2025?