“I feel like now, really, mentally I’m in a great place” Gauff reflects on her growth after Roland-Garros semi-finals berth

At just 18 years old, Coco Gauff is clearly not the oldest semi-finalist in Roland Garros history. But she may be the wisest. After her quarter-final victory over fellow American Sloane Stephens 7-5, 6-2 on Tuesday, Gauff shared a collection of mature insights into her growth on the court.

“I feel like a lot of my losses in the past were due to mental errors of just getting used to being on tour and getting used to playing these intense matches,” she explained. “So I know if I do lose a match it’s not going to be because of that. I’m okay, if it is because of my game, because that’s something that I can work on.

“It’s important that you have high hopes for yourself, but also, at the same time, it’s important to be in reality and I think that’s where I am. I’m in a reality where I’m enjoying the moment and enjoying the situation,” the American related.

Gauff’s mindset will face a true test on Thursday as the18-year-old faces Italian Martina Trevisan in the semi-final round. In 2020, then-16-year-old Gauff fell to Trevisan in the second round of Roland Garros 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.

Come Thursday, Gauff intends to learn from her mistakes. “I remember each loss pretty well. I mean, my grandfather always told me: Forget your wins; remember your losses. I remember each and every loss,” she said. “I know what’s going on on the court and I know why I lost the match, and I know what I need to work on for the next time.”

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