- The 2024 tennis season is well on course
- Coco Gauff has two tournaments she wants to win badly
- She won her first Grand Slam in New York last year
The 2024 tennis season is well on course and there are 2 tournaments Coco Gauff wants to win.
Gauff is eyeing the Indian Wells and Miami Open WTA tournaments so bad that she is ready to do anything to win.
She won her first Grand Slam at the 2023 US Open and she has been on overdrive since then achieving an all-time career ranking of world No. 3.
2 Tournaments Coco Gauff Wants to Win
At 20, the American youngster is chasing huge victories in the two Masters 1000 tournaments. She is well into the semi-finals of the Indian Wells.
She will play against Maria Sakkari on Saturday. Despite dishing out 17 double faults, Gauff defeated Yuan Yue of China 6-4 6-3 on Thursday at the BNP Paribas Open.
She made her first-ever trip to the semifinals in the California desert. Gauff had to battle back from a 3-1 deficit in the second set to set up a match against ninth-seed Sakkari.
American tennis player Coco Gauff. Photo/The Manila Times
Sakkari ended American Emma Navarro’s run with a 5-7 6-2 6-4 triumph. Gauff, who turned 20 a few days to her quarterfinal match turned away seven of the ten break points she faced during the match.
This included three points that would have prevented her from losing the second set 4-1. Gauff expressed her satisfaction with her performance at the Indian Wells quarterfinal match.
She acknowledged that her serving style wasn’t optimal but felt confident about her groundstroke game and returns.
Her aggressive play and out-rallying her opponent came through for her in a big way.
“I pretty much just relied on me just out-rallying her and being aggressive. I think a lot of break points that were saved, at least in that second set, I just remember hitting a lot of forehand winners,” she recalls.
Gauff became one of only two players, along with Iga Swiatek and Caroline Wozniacki, to ever advance to five WTA 1000 semifinals before to turning 21.
Why Does Coco Gauff Want to Win at Indian Wells and Miami Open?
They are the most prestigious 1000 tennis events under the WTA besides the Grand Slams.
“I think, obviously I want to win this [Indian Wells] tournament, I’m playing in it. But I will say, yeah, it’s definitely one of the tournaments I want to win at least once in my career. Hopefully it can be now. I feel pretty good about my chances,” she said.
The Florida-born tennis star added that winning in Miami is great too because it will be paying respect to her people.
What to Expect from Coco Gauff
Coco Gauff in Cancun, Mexico. Photo/Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports
In 2023, Coco Gauff experienced a transformative tennis season, marked by highs and challenging lows. Despite facing periods of lacklustre performance, she emerged as a formidable presence in the sport.
Gauff’s journey began with a victory in Auckland, New Zealand, showcasing her talent. However, she encountered setbacks during the spring season, testing her mental resilience.
The turning point came in late summer when she claimed her first Grand Slam title at the US Open, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in a thrilling match.
Gauff’s emotional celebration, including a heart sign to her fans and embracing her parents, Corey and Candi Gauff, marked a significant moment in her career.
Through ups and downs, Gauff’s 2023 season solidified her as a force to be reckoned with in the world of tennis.
Gauff learned valuable lessons that could pave her path to victory in the 2024 WTA season. From her last season, she realized that tennis success is a gradual process. Despite her rapid rise to stardom, Gauff acknowledged the importance of hard work and perseverance, putting her among the tennis elite competing fiercely with top players.
Secondly, Gauff’s 2023 season taught her the power of confronting the challenges of social media negativity. She now knows how to deal with trolling, body-shaming, and racist remarks.
She opted to block harmful individuals, recognizing the toxicity of certain platforms like X. Lastly, Gauff learned the significance of resilience and perspective in the face of defeat.
Instead of dwelling on losses, she knows the value of moving forward and maintaining focus on the bigger picture.
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