Coco Gauff on imposter syndrome as she reaches US Open final: “Speaking things into existence is real”

The American believes she can win her first Grand Slam title

Coco Gauff at the 2023 US Open (Chryslene Caillaud/Panoramic)

September 8, 2023

She is into a second Grand Slam singles final, and Coco Gauff has been talking about how she’s been coping with the imposter syndrome that plagues her – making her feel that she’s not good enough to be competing with the world’s best.

“I think it’s still a part of me,” she said afterwards. “I think it’s something I’m doing better with, definitely. Even after D.C., you know, I still was like, well, you know, I beat some good people but maybe I caught them on off days!

“Then Cincinnati happens, obviously that win with Iga. Even when it happened, I was, like, I played great tennis, but, you know, in that moment I was, like, I caught her on an off day!

Coco is feeling it!

What a night for the 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/cC8WIK0mPb
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 8, 2023

“It’s things like that I have to remind myself. Honestly in today’s match, you know, a little bit this morning I was, like, that Cincinnati final I beat her because I felt like she wasn’t physically ready to play that final because of the troubles she had. Then I told myself, I looked in the mirror, I was, like, no, you’re a good player, you can beat her regardless of her physical standard. I knew she was obviously going to be in much better shape tonight with the day rest. I told myself you can do it again.

“Yeah, it’s still definitely a part of me but I do think I’m giving myself more credit more. And speaking things into existence is real. I’ve been trying to speak more positively of myself and actually telling myself that I’m a great player.”

Gauff: I really believe that now I have the maturity and ability to win

The 19-year-old also took some time to compare her run in New York to her journey to the Roland-Garros final in 2022.

“[In Paris], the whole tournament felt like a surprise to me. I wasn’t expecting the final here either, but I just think then I was really winning and just relieved that I made it to a final because so many people expected a lot of things from me. You know, I think I just didn’t really believe that I had it in me, especially at the time playing Iga, who was on a winning streak and everything.

“But this time around, I have been focusing more on myself and my expectations of myself – not going on social media or listening to people who believe that I can or believe that I can’t.

“So I have just been really focusing on myself. I really believe that now I have the maturity and ability to do it. You know, regardless of what happens on Saturday, I’m really proud of how I have been handling the last few weeks.”