Coco Gauff, the 19-year-old US Open champion, has revealed how she is spending her time off the court in Melbourne, where she feels at home and enjoys the support of the crowds. The fourth seed has also been dominant on the court, as she reached the fourth round of the Australian Open with a convincing win over Alycia Parks on Friday.
Gauff, who won her first Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows in September, has continued her impressive form in the first major of the year. She has dropped only seven games in her three matches so far, including two bagels.
On Friday, she faced her compatriot and childhood friend Parks, who has a powerful serve and a big game. Gauff was not intimidated by Parks’ weapons, as she broke her six times and did not face a single break point herself. She wrapped up the match in just over an hour, 6-0 6-2.
Gauff said she was happy with how she played and how she handled the challenge of facing a familiar opponent.
“It’s tough because she’s a big server, so you’re not going to be able to strike as much as you want to, so I think I did a good job with that,” Gauff said on court after the match. “Also, mixing the height and the pace of the ball, she’s a big hitter, she likes it fast so I was just trying my best to be aggressive when I could, but also playing with margin.”
Gauff relaxes with mini-golf and escape rooms
Gauff also revealed how she is using her time off the court in Melbourne, where she feels comfortable and enjoys the atmosphere. She said she has been doing various activities with her team and friends, such as mini-golf, escape rooms, eating out and watching tennis.
“I always enjoy Melbourne, it reminds me of Florida a little bit with the weather, and obviously the crowds here are very nice,” Gauff said. “We’ve been doing mini-golf, escape rooms, eating a lot and just watching the tennis.”
Gauff said she had to overcome some nerves at the start of the match, and that she gave herself a pep talk to relax and have fun.
“I told myself: ‘I feel good, I look good so just have fun.’ I was able to relax,” Gauff said.
Gauff aims for 10th Grand Slam title
Gauff, who is ranked fourth in the world, has set herself an ambitious goal of winning at least 10 Grand Slam titles in her career. She said she was inspired by the likes of Serena Williams, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, who have won more than 20 majors each.
“I think it’s possible. I mean, they’ve done it, so why can’t I do it?” Gauff said in an interview with Heavy.com before the tournament. “I think that’s the mentality that I have to have, and I think that’s the mentality that a lot of young players have to have if they want to be great.”
Gauff will face another test of her title credentials in the fourth round, where she will meet 19th seed Elina Svitolina, who also advanced with a straight-sets win over Australian wildcard Taylah Preston.
Svitolina, who reached the semi-finals in Melbourne last year, said she was looking forward to playing Gauff, whom she praised for her maturity and consistency.
“She’s a great player, great fighter. She already won a Grand Slam, which is very impressive,” Svitolina said. “She’s very mature for her age and she handles the pressure really well. I think it’s going to be a very tough match.”
