All eyes on Coco: Defending a grand slam title is one of the hardest things in tennis

The three Grand Slam tournaments this year have highlighted the challenges of defending a title. Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek successfully defended their titles in Melbourne and Paris, respectively, while Marketa Vondrousova experienced the dreaded fate of many defending champions by losing in the first round at Wimbledon.

Vondrousova, who had won the title as a surprise underdog, admitted that the occasion overwhelmed her. “I was really nervous from the start and couldn’t shake it off,” she said, reflecting on the pressure she felt.

Defending a major title brings intense pressure, especially for those doing so for the first time. Sabalenka became the first player since Victoria Azarenka in 2013 to defend a Grand Slam successfully at her first attempt, winning in Australia this January. The task is daunting: managing increased expectations and defending 2,000 ranking points while dealing with personal form challenges.

Coco Gauff, who is defending her title at this year’s U.S. Open, faces the challenge head-on. The U.S. Open, known for its unpredictability, has not seen a successful title defense on the women’s side since 2014, with nine different winners in the past decade. On the men’s side, the title hasn’t been defended since 2008.

Gauff began her defense with a convincing 6-2, 6-0 win over Varvara Gracheva. After a challenging few months, including disappointing losses at Wimbledon and the Olympics and dropping her No. 2 ranking, this win was a reassuring start.

Aware of the pressures of defending a title, Gauff has adopted a positive mindset. “If you see it as defending, it feels like there’s more to lose,” she told The Athletic. “I prefer to view it as a new season and a fresh opportunity. I’ve had a successful season so far, and I want to focus on the positives.”

In her pre-tournament press conference, Gauff emphasized her new motto: “If you defend, it means you’ve won something before.” This perspective is inspired by Novak Djokovic, who, despite not having won a major in 14 years, approaches Grand Slam tournaments with confidence. Djokovic’s attitude has resonated with Gauff, who sees it as a way to manage the pressures of being a defending champion.

Former champions often struggle with the expectations that come with defending a title. Marketa Vondrousova’s emotional first-round exit at Wimbledon and Emma Raducanu’s similar fate the following year underscore the difficulties of maintaining form and composure.

Gauff, however, remains focused on her goal. Unlike Raducanu, who faced heightened nerves as a new champion, Gauff’s established presence at the U.S. Open may help mitigate some of the pressure. Daniil Medvedev, who has never defended a title, acknowledges the unique pressures of doing so, even as he wishes he felt more pressure.

Carlos Alcaraz’s recent successful defense of his Wimbledon title exemplifies how to manage these challenges. He approaches each match with the mindset that every opponent is determined to beat him, maintaining a focus on the battle ahead rather than the weight of defending a title.

For Gauff, the goal is to turn the aura of being a defending champion into an advantage, using it as a shield against her competitors and reminding herself that defending a title means she has already achieved something significant that others are striving to take from her.