Coco Gauff doesn’t just fight her battles; she rises, voices her stance, and proves that lightning can indeed strike the same place twice. Expectations weighed heavy as she was one of the few players to compete and also deliver in all three disciplines (singles, doubles, and mixed doubles). A week into her premature exit from the Games, enter 2002 HoF Pamela Shriver who has some words of wisdom for the struggling 20-year-old. Let’s just say she knows a thing or two about bursting into the scene as a young teenager and consequential high-than-usual expectations.

Gauff was in tears during her unexpected loss to Donna Vekić in the third round after a fierce argument with the chair umpire. In the same way, there have been a lot of moments when Gauff has struggled to put a point in front of the umpire and ended up arguing with them. This also includes her Wimbledon defeat, where Gauff was visibly frustrated throughout the match, struggling to contain compatriot Emma Navarro’s powerful forehand.

However, looking into her struggles, recently, in a Tennis Channel Live Podcast, Pam Shriver, who is one of the five female American teenagers to reach the US Open final (the latest one being Gauff in 2023), shared one piece of advice for the 20-year-old. She stated, “Yeah, obviously Coco had a great time. Didn’t end the way she wanted in singles, doubles or mixed but I want to see her remain calm and cool and not have a meltdown at any point.”

Shriver didn’t just stop at offering advice; she also emphasized the importance of balancing high expectations with emotional control. While striving for greatness is essential, she highlighted that managing emotions and focusing on your own game are equally crucial aspects of success.

Further, Shriver added, “I found at Wimbledon what happened against Navarro, and then also what happened against Vekic, although she thought it was the umpire made a bad decision. I just want to see Coco go back to being Coco business and not get sort of out of sorts if something goes a little off.”

On the other hand, Pam Shriver has long been an admirer of Coco Gauff’s fierce competitiveness and has appreciated every hint of maturity that the young player could muster. One such moment was when Gauff decided to make a coaching staff overhaul and move away from having her father Corey, who coached her for the majority of her career till the start of US Open 2023, to temporarily work with Patrick Mouratoglou and Pere Riba before she finally settled with veteran voice Brad Gilbert. Shriver could relate and cheered for Coco in a podcast interview post that development,

“The response that Coco and the team have had since Wimbledon by adding, I know Pere Riba was hired a little bit before Brad Gilbert. To be able to merge those voices together and to have the presence of the dad to be able to step back from at least being in the box. I thought it was a very mature decision by Coco and her team to bring who they brought in.” 

Nevertheless, Gauff has made it clear that she isn’t letting expectations define her in the wake of her loss at the Olympics in Paris. In a powerful statement, the 20-year-old dismissed the weight of external pressures, choosing instead to focus on her own journey and growth, while getting ready for the Canadian Open.

Coco Gauff’s strong ‘no expectation’ statement post-Olympics

As the top seed going into the WTA 1000 tournament, Coco Gauff spoke with the media prior to the competition to share her expectations. When asked how she manages her schedule after competing in the Olympics, Gauff downplayed the pressure, stating, “I have no expectations for this week. I am not going into this expecting to win or anything.”

Gauff may be modest, but her top ranking and the absence of a few major names give her a good chance to win her second Masters 1000 championship. Her victories in Cincinnati and Toronto prepared her for her historic first Grand Slam at the US Open.

However, will this ‘no expectations’ thought of Gauff, help her with her on-court struggles? What are your thoughts on the same? Do let us know in the comment section below.