Coco Gauff admitted that she saw any matches as a “bonus” after winning the US Open and qualifying for the WTA Finals. The world No 3 is through to the quarter-final of this week’s China Open. With her victory over Veronika Kudermetova on Thursday, she surpassed Iga Swiatek for the longest match-winning streak of the 2023 WTA Tour season.
Gauff is currently playing in her first tournament since becoming a Grand Slam champion at the US Open. The American has safely made it to the last eight at the WTA 1000 event in Beijing, putting her on a 15-match winning streak after picking up the title in Cincinnati before her New York triumph.
It means she surpasses Swiatek’s 14-match run that spanned her title wins in Rome and the French Open, as well as her run to the Bad Homburg semi-final. And the 19-year-old admitted that she was playing with house money after securing her spot at the season-ending championships in Cancun.
“The end of this season for me, especially once you’re qualified, I consider it bonus matches,” she said after downing recent Japan Open champion Kudermetova 7-6(5) 6-2. “That’s why the first two matches I think I was disappointed in the way that I was playing.
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“I think I was playing a little bit more tight, not going for my shots, not going for my serve. Today I was telling myself try to hit above 110, 115 as much as I could, be more aggressive.” Gauff was able to turn things around in her victory over the 16th seed, admitting that she no longer felt the pressure.
She continued: “I think for me in the long run, especially where it’s tough to do it, but I feel like now that the pressure is off, now that the Grand Slam season is over and I’m qualified, I think this could be a good week to continue to work on things I need to work on. Today I think I approached the match like that. I wish I did it earlier.”
Gauff was able to save three set points against Kudermetova in the first set with the Russian serving for it. And the six-time title winner explained that her US Open victory gave her the ability to play with more freedom as she finally lived up to expectations of becoming a Major champion.
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“I think having that win makes you more confident in these moments, especially the way the US Open went for me, a lot of three-set matches, a lot of tough moments,” the teenager explained. “I think it’s way more pressure in the Grand Slam than a 1000, even though there’s still pressure, but it’s just less.
“I think I’m able to handle these emotions more because of that experience. Honestly, I do feel more confident stepping on court. Plus the way I kind of started on the scene, a lot of people wanted that for me and expected that from me. I feel like now it’s a little bit of a weight lifted and I’m able to play more freer, focus on the long-term and how to be able to set myself up to win even more.”
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