“Wish I could’ve done better this hardcourt season, but I’m excited for clay” – Gauff
The top-ranked American reached the semi-finals in Indian Wells and the fourth round in Miami
Coco Gauff at the 2024 Miami Open
Image Credit: Zuma / Panoramic
After winning the US Open title last year, the expectations were high on American Coco Gauff coming into the Sunshine Double – the back-to-back tournaments of Indian Wells and Miami on the American hardcourts this year.
But Gauff’s campaign at both events ended earlier than the 20-year-old would have liked – a semi-final loss in three sets to Maria Sakkari at Indian Wells and, on Monday, a fourth-round loss to France’s Caroline Garcia in Miami, her home event.
Even though Gauff admitted that the loss will weigh on her for some time, she is already looking forward to the clay court season.
“I think I’m the type of person every loss kind of weighs on me heavy, especially one like today where I felt like I could have done better and I felt like I had the match in control, especially after the second,” Gauff said. “Honestly, if anything, it kind of helps being home so I can just drive and be home and be in my own bed (smiling).”
“I wish I could have done better this hardcourt season, but I am excited for clay. I’m playing Stuttgart as of right now, and then obviously Madrid, Rome, and French Open.”
I feel like I know how to play with home pressure, especially after the whole U.S. swing last year, so I didn’t feel any nerves coming in today or at all this week.
Coco Gauff
The world No 3 has never reached the quarter-finals in Miami but said it had less to do with the extra pressure of playing at home and more to do with running into good players early on in the event.
“Not really, no,” she responded when asked about feeling more pressure playing at home. “I think honestly it’s just tough matches over the years. I feel like I know how to play with home pressure, especially after the whole U.S. swing last year, so I didn’t feel any nerves coming in today or at all this week. I actually felt really good, because I felt like I didn’t play that well in Indian Wells. Then coming here, my first two matches were good. And even today, the level could have been better, so I don’t think it had anything to do with being home.”
Gauff did look at the positives – her serve, which has been an issue, over the past few weeks for her was much better this fortnight in Miami.
“This is a tough loss. I do think one positive is the serve. You know, I got broken a lot today. I don’t think it was because of my serving. I went from hitting 17 double faults in Indian Wells to I think only, two or three today. So I think that’s something that can continue to improve, but it did in a short amount of time.”
