No respite for the 20-year-old Coco Gauff, as she suffers one heartbreak after another. From playing the semifinals at the French Open, and winning the doubles title, to early round exits in the next from Wimbledon onwards, it seems that the American tennis prodigy is going through the dreaded slump at the most crucial time of the season: the US Open title defense. Though not unusual, as highs and lows are a part of every sport. Hence, when her defense shot at the last major of the season was disregarded, tennis fans, particularly Gauff’s fans, came out in hoards to support the young star with an undeniable fact!

• At Wimbledon, Gauff made it to the R4, before Emma Navarro got the better of her.
• At the Paris Olympics, she was ousted in R3 by Donna Vekic, who went on to win the silver medal.
• At the Canadian Open, she suffered an R3 exit at the hands of Diana Shnaider and the latest fall at the Cincinnati.
• At Cincinnati Open, Yulia Putintseva brushed aside her threat in the opening match itself to proceed further.

The 3 out of 4 loses have come in straight sets right before the US Open when she should be headed for the Peak. As the American tennis star is rolling down the hill, the Tennis Channel broadcast shared a clip about Gauff’s form lately. Doubting her title defense with the following caption:

However, while the world doubted her capabilities, the fans stood strong behind the young teenager. They highlight the fact that every player has their own journey, filled with lots of ups and downs. And it’s just the beginning for Gauff!

Gauff’s fans have just one message for the doubters

The whole debate about Gauff’s title defense has been going around for a long time. When she is at the top of her game, there are positive reactions. However, when she is dealing with a slump and requires the utmost support, her defense is doubted. The same thing happened at the cusp of the US Open, when the tennis channel expert, Wertheim, said, “I think you say to her, “ Listen, you are not defending the US Open title.”” 

Gauff’s fans couldn’t keep quiet, so they sent a message to Gauff and everyone who doubted her potential after a few losses. They said, “Every tennis player has experienced some ups and downs during their career. Coco’s meteoric rise at 20 has led some of you to have unrealistic expectations. I hope Coco will ignore these from most of you who have never played a tennis game in your judgmental lives and relax!”

Moreover, another fact that needs to be taken into account is the fact that Gauff is not losing to some lower-ranked players. The players who have handed her defeat in the last 4 tournaments were some of the top WTA players. But she need not worry much about the “little” slump, as this fan echoed the sentiments of the millions out there, with his tough. They said, “If we are really being honest, she isn’t losing to scrubs! Let my girl have a little slump and watch her come back stronger soon! 😭”

Gauff isn’t the only one facing the slump in the tennis circuit. Her compatriot Frances Tiafoe is yet to regain the form that he displayed during the 2022 season. Though he seems to be getting back on track, it did take some time for him. Even America’s Taylor Fritz has been somewhat consistent with his form, but he has yet to overcome the top players to have a go at the Grand Slam. Hence this user was right to highlight that, “Everybody’s getting this sort of ‘slump’ period. They’ll get out of it if healthy.”

The 20-year-old tennis star’s performance since her debut has set some high expectations for her. Moreover, many times, people see her as the successor of the legendary Williams sisters. However, they certainly forget that even the mighty Serena Williams lost some matches, including at the Grand Slam. Hence, they need to remember that Gauff has her whole career in front of her instead of just the 2024 season.

These tennis fans rightly used the analogy of marathon and sprint to lift the spirit of World No.2: “Hey Coco, the voices outside come with too much pressure, ignore all and keep working. It’s okay to lose. What’s most important is how you take the loss. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Keep going babygal. 🫶🏾🙏🏾”

Amidst the chorus of wins and losses, fans and experts, many times people forget that players are also humans and not superhumans. And like everyone in the world, they have their own journey. Rather than look at the glass as half empty, it’s more beautiful to consider it half full as it gives hope to others. And this tennis fan did exactly that, as he tried to make everyone realize that the glass is half full, and Gauff is ensuring it’s filled up to the brim in the future.

He said, “Coco’s human, and she’s done phenomenally well at a young age. She’ll be just fine, but you all just go ahead and keep second-guessing her. People were wrong about how well she’d do before, and she’ll prove them wrong again 💜”