‘Hid Beneath My Towel and Cried’- Coco Gauff Processes Tough Emotions as She Dwells Deep Into the ‘Most Nervous’ Match She Ever Played

Every tennis player, at some point of time in life, has played the hardest or the toughest match of their career. And for the 18-year-old, Coco Gauff, her toughest match was the Roland Garros final in 2021. Overwhelmed by her emotions, the tennis player was not able to process the feeling of playing a major tournament final. Recently, in an interview, she talked about her feelings.

Since then, the tennis sensation is trying hard to become a phenomenal player with the Grand Slam title to her name. And the 18-year-old, who started her 2023 season with a win, believes that this year she has to take a step forward and win a Grand Slam tournament. 

Coco Gauff talks about her toughest match 

Playing any Grand Slam tournament final comes with a lot of responsibility and pressure. While the American tennis player has experienced the losing side of the Grand Slam tournament final, now she wants to experience the winning side of it. However, in a conversation with BBC, the tennis player was asked about her toughest match to date.

She said, “In the moments after I lost to Iga at Roland Garros, I hid beneath my towel and cried. When you’re in a match, you don’t feel it is over until it is over. Then all the emotion hits you. Although I was losing for the majority of the time in the match, I still felt I had a chance until the end. Actually, it was almost a relief when it was over.” The tennis player lost to world number one Iga Swiatek in the French Open finals last year. 

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The French Open 2022 finalist also mentioned her nervousness in between the match and the pressure that was continuously building up during her game. Notably, the tennis player is determined to win a Grand Slam tournament this year. She said that she only cares about performance and not about the prize money she receives along with the victory. 

Gauff aims for a major title this year 

The 18-year-old tennis player has made her intentions to win a Grand Slam tournament this year very clear. In the same interview, the American tennis player talked about her goal this year. And said, “I know I can win a Grand Slam title. Now it is about making the final step.” 

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Furthermore, she also talked about how even being the youngest in the draw, she has been around for a while and now it’s high time that she chases her goal. Not only that, but she also made a point if she is not able to win a major title this year she will try harder next year.