MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Coco Gauff, at a press event before the Miami Open, laughed off concerns about her performance whenever she faces a short losing streak, such as a dip in form that might see her exit a couple of tournaments early.
“Sometimes when I underperform, people assume there’s something wrong with me personally,” remarked Gauff. With the women’s main draw set to begin on Tuesday and the men’s shortly after, she dismissed worries ahead of the Miami Open—a tournament she’s eager to tackle. During challenging periods this year, such as her three consecutive losses ranging from the Australian Open to Dubai earlier in the season, the young but already accomplished Gauff, who turned 21 recently, finds herself at the center of attention, with many inquiring about her well-being.
“When I lose a few matches, people think something’s wrong, but I assure them, ‘I’m just fine,’” she commented. Seeded third in the hard-court Masters 1000 event, Gauff will enjoy a first-round bye. Awaiting her in the second round is either Petra Kvitova or Sofia Kenin, both past Grand Slam winners.
While she’s disappointed with recent outcomes, Gauff is philosophical about the ebb and flow of her career. “I’ve had my fair share of highs and lows. I still think I have some learning ahead until I reach that point where everything’s great week after week,” she explained. Being based near the Miami Open venue adds to her excitement, although she conceded the ongoing tweaks in her game have been challenging.
Gauff has been candid about these adjustments, which include changes in her team post-U.S. Open last year and modifications to her serve, specifically the second serve to curb double-faults, and her forehand. Ever since her breakout as a 15-year-old at Wimbledon in 2019, she’s recognized for an outstanding backhand. Yet, adversaries, including Tokyo Olympic gold medalist Belinda Bencic—who beat her in a tight three-set match at Indian Wells—often target her forehand.
Gauff sees the Miami Open, hosted at the stadium shared with the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, as her “home tournament.” Over the years, her journey in Miami has seen her record six wins against five losses, with the fourth round as her best finish so far. Despite the scrutiny following her setbacks and her self-expectations, Gauff strives not to dwell too much on losses.
Rising to the high ranks entails consistent pressure for results, especially after clinching Grand Slam titles in singles and doubles and triumphing in last year’s WTA finals. “It’s tough, getting comments about losing consecutive matches,” she remarked. “But those expectations scale with success. Being a top-five player means people expect victories, and so do I.”
