Back in July, Coco Gauff experienced a nightmarish end to the grass court season when she was eliminated from Wimbledon in the first round by fellow American Sophia Kenin in straight sets. Not one to be discouraged by losses, the determined teenage sensation worked hard during her downtime to come back stronger for the hard court season.
And she certainly did. The 19-year-old Atlantan turned the tables in her favour by clinching victory at the Cincinnati Open, a hard-court ATP Masters 1000 event that acts as a prelude to the US Open. She defeated the No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek in the semi-finals before triumphing over Czech French Open finalist Karolina Muchova to claim the title. According to Gauff, the key change was in her mindset.
Coco Gauff credits Jimmy Butler for miraculous turnaround
Coco Gauff has attributed her remarkable turnaround to NBA player Jimmy Butler, who plays for the Miami Heat. She gave credit to the power forward for her recent remarkable transformation.
Gauff states that she draws inspiration from Butler’s ‘playoff mindset’, which entails elevating one’s game when it matters most, such as in a playoff. After her Wimbledon setback, Coco Gauff underwent a mental reset, enabling her to return with vigor in Cincinnati.
“Him and my mom spoke for a long time when he was here. …He was like, yeah, he can really see the joy in me again in playing and enjoying the competition, and that I should continue to do that,” Gauff said. “I learned a lot watching him, everybody counting him out. … You have people that are talented and don’t have the mentality. He has the talent and the mentality.”
Coco Gauff credits Jimmy Butler for her ascension
“That switch I had in the last couple weeks. people think some incredible thing happened. But realistically, the two weeks between Wimbledon and the next tournament I played, nothing could have really changed that much. It was… pic.twitter.com/yFz0LOkfb0
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 30, 2023
Butler, an ardent fan of Coco Gauff, was present in the stands, enthusiastically supporting the American during her second-round US Open match. “I want her to win every single time,” he said.
Gauff and Butler have maintained a friendship for an extended period of time. They share a mutual respect for each other’s respective games. In May, Butler extended an invitation to Coco Gauff for an NBA game to watch the Miami Heat play. He also provided match tickets to her family for the final, even though the Miami Heat were still engaged in the playoffs. Butler’s unwavering confidence in reaching the finals left Gauff deeply impressed by his attitude, and she has regarded him as a source of inspiration ever since.
Coco Gauff is 13-1 in her last 14 matches and is one of the top home favorites in the US Open.
Gauff to face Elise Mertens in US Open third round
Coco Gauff’s second-round match was highly anticipated as a clash of teenage sensations. Her encounter with 16-year-old prodigy Mirra Andreeva had all the trappings of a tumultuous tussle when it commenced in a humid Arthur Ashe stadium on Wednesday. However, Coco Gauff had other plans.
Taking early control of the match, Gauff dictated terms to her fellow adolescent before securing a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory, advancing to the US Open’s third round for the third time. Gauff won 22 out of 27 first-serve points and only conceded a single break of serve – which occurred in the first game of the match. She hit six forehand winners and a total of 24 winners throughout the match.
Coco Gauff believes that adopting a fresh perspective on the game has empowered her to rebound from a downtick in performance.
“I think when I was younger, I used to think that every match was life or death, and when you realise that some of your competitors on tour are in their thirties it puts in perspective that you still have to allow yourself time to make mistakes–the losses, as long as you learn from them, are OK,” she said.
Awaiting Gauff in the third round is the no.32 seed, Belgian Elise Mertens. Mertens displayed strong form as she pulled off an upset by defeating American Danielle Collins 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-1 in a marathon match where she saved two match points. As the tournament progresses, Coco Gauff is striving to become the first American woman to reach consecutive quarterfinals at the US Open since Serena Williams did so from 2018 to 2020.
What are your impressions of Coco Gauff’s recent performances? How far do you think the 19-year-old American can advance at Flushing Meadows? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
