‘I Went in Trying to Win for Myself’- Coco Gauff Says This Tournament She Has Not Been Playing for Other People

French Open brought a high point in the nascent career of Coco Gauff. Earlier, she hit the headlines by becoming the youngest player in the WTA top 100, and the youngest to win a WTA singles title. This time, Gauff marked yet another ‘youngest’ record under her name.

The 18-year-old’s run to the finals of the recently concluded major made her the youngest player to do so since Maria Sharapova in 2004. Though she failed to have her hands on the trophy, according to her, she has found the part of herself which was missing since the start of this year.

Coco Gauff about her French Open run

Gauff, upon being asked if it makes her happy to reach the height that was expected of her in all these years, said, “Yeah, I think so. I think like going in this tournament honestly didn’t expect a final. And I think it came from like a mix.”

Further, Gauff disclosed, “I mean, I feel this year there was a mix of like my mentality. I think beginning of this year I lost Australian Open a couple of first rounds and I think that I was just going into the matches trying so hard to win. But not for myself, but for other people.”

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“I think this tournament was the first tournament this year that I went in trying to win for myself. And I think that was the difference and my mentality. Now that I have found that mental state, I know how to get there. I think that will help me in the future tournaments,” she added.

Gauff’s in doubles at this year’s clay-court season

Gauff started her clay court season with the Stuttgart Open playing alongside Zhang Shuai, who has a career high ranking of World No.5 in doubles. The pair made it up to the finals of the tournament but failed to claim the title.

Thereafter, the former World No.15 joined hands with fellow American Jessica Pegula to have a quarterfinal run in the red dirt of the Madrid Open. The pair then stepped onto the clay courts of the Italian Open and suffered a first round defeat.

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Following that, they gave their skills and coordination one more chance in the French Open. And this time, they managed to secure a seat in the finals. However, the French duo of Caroline Garcia and Kristina Mladenovic slipped the title out of their hands.