Coco Gauff makes admission about ‘collapsing mentally on court’ ahead of Emma Navarro rematch
Coco Gauff came through a tough three-setter against Elina Svitolina to set up a fascinating rematch with Emma Navarro at the US Open and she acknowledged ahead of the clash that she will “need to bring it and mentally”.
Defending champion Gauff made a sluggish start against Svitolina in the third round as she looked to be on her way out after she lost the first set and found herself break point down in the second set.
But she held her serve and broke in the sixth game before dominating the deciding set for a 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory in what was her 10th consecutive win at the US Open.
Up next is fellow American Navarro, who defeated Gauff at Wimbledon just over a month ago.
The 20-year-old was world No 2 at the time and was the heavy favourite, but she was never at the races as her compatriot came away with a 6-4, 6-2 win.
“With Emma, I feel like that match at Wimbledon I think I mentally just literally collapsed on the court. I was very frustrated, and she played well. That was, I think to me, the best tennis she played, like that tournament,” she explained.
“Obviously, I didn’t see her first round, but I watched a little bit her second and third. I think that was like the best she played that week.
“Yeah, so I think going into this match, I have to expect her to play her best tennis, and I just need to know that I need to bring it and mentally be there from the beginning to the end because she’s going to be a tough opponent.”
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Gauff is looking to become the first player since Serena Williams won three in a row from 2012 to 2014 to successfully defend her title.
But she knows there is still a long way to go in the tournament and needs to keep the expectations to a minimum.
“At the end of the day, to defend would be great,” the third seed said. “But I feel like it’s an unnecessary amount of pressure to put that on yourself. When you step on the court, you just have that feeling. It’s like, ‘OK, I know I can perform really well here. I’ve done it before in the past, and I’ll do it again.’
“That’s been my motto. I know I have the chance to do it again, whether it happens 2024 or years in the future, I think I have the belief that I will do it again.”
