Coco Gauff has become adept at handling skeptics! Although she may be the World No. 2, critics always find a way to point out mistakes in her play here and there. It came on strong last year during her US Open run, but Gauff, known for her resilience and charisma, thanked the haters for fueling her. Sort of like Novak Djokovic, who feeds off the negative energy of the crowd to make them eat their words!

In her most recent TikTok video, Gauff combines lighthearted humor with a poignant declaration of resilience to send a strong message to her naysayers. Her exuberant vitality and self-assured demeanor make it obvious that she is here to succeed rather than merely have fun.

Along with that, the WTA star wrote, “Our message to the doubters is: thanks for adding fuel to our fire.” However, not only was the video focused on silencing the people who once questioned her abilities on the court as a tennis player, but it also talked about promoting small businesses, sidelining the haters.

In the video, she said, “Every great idea has a doubter. You can fight them, but never silence them, so while they talk we get to work. Whether you are tasting a small business win or a championship, we can’t let them be the water to our fire. We gotta turn them into fuel that makes us unstoppable.” 

Following her incredible victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final last year, the American tennis star thanked those who had questioned her and thanked them for their hatred. She admitted that their doubts gave her more tenacity and motivation, which eventually enabled her to advance in her work.

Gauff stated, “Thank you to the people who didn’t believe in me. To those who thought they were putting water on my fire, you were really adding gas to it. Now I’m really burning so bright right now.” The 20-year-old tennis player, ever since she started her pro career, has already seen a great deal of criticism and scrutiny—a reality that frequently follows young players.

Even though it’s remarked that hatred can be a powerful motivation, her critics’ predictions have not come to pass. Gauff turned the criticism into motivation rather than giving in to the pressure, winning her first Grand Slam championship in the process. However, she has her own way of dealing with haters. A few months ago, the World No. 2 shared a statement on how she counters the hate she has been receiving online.

Coco Gauff’s way of dealing with haters 

While the 20-year-old doesn’t think that the hate she reads online is really significant, at the same time, she is aware of the weight of every comment made about her. However, Coco Gauff’s team has recommended that she not answer the criticism.

Last year, after the China Open, she stated, “I feel like my brain just works different.. I still have the filters on my Instagram. I don’t see anything. I see the comments. I used to not be on Twitter at all. I’m still really not on Twitter much. But sometimes you get caught up in the scroll. The way the page is, the accounts that you interact with, you see yourself.” 

The reigning US Open champion is not afraid to admit that she finds drive in negativity. Even though she avoids Twitter most of the time, Gauff periodically checks in and reads through both nice and negative remarks. She may stay conscious of popular opinion while using the criticism as motivation to improve her play on the court, thanks to this well-rounded strategy!