Coco Gauff of the USA celebrates after defeating Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the ultimate of the ASB Tennis Classic in Auckland, Recent Zealand, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. (Andrew Cornaga/Photosport via AP)
Coco Gauff is poised to construct on last 12 months’s breakout season after the American teenager defended her crown at an Australian Open tune-up event in Auckland last weekend.
After claiming her first Grand Slam title on the U.S. Open last September, Gauff opted to work on her game on the practice courts in a hot and humid Florida relatively than occurring vacation to recharge her body and mind.
It paid dividends as she cruised through her first 4 matches in Recent Zealand without dropping a set before being forced to dig deep against dangerous veteran Elina Svitolina in the ultimate.
Top-seeded Gauff dropped the primary set tiebreak but raised her level over the following two to repeat as champion and hoist her seventh singles trophy.
“I don’t know if I used to be expecting this result, but I’m really comfortable with how I managed to play today,” Gauff said after the match.
“I feel today level-wise was definitely not my best match or best level this week, but sometimes if you win if you’re not playing your best, it makes you’re feeling more satisfied.”
Gauff’s serve has steadily improved since she burst onto the scene at Wimbledon in 2019 and she or he has transformed her forehand, once a vulnerability opponents sought to use, right into a weapon.
She has also developed a more aggressive game, playing first-strike tennis while maintaining the exceptional all-court speed that makes her an elite defender.
“It’s the balance of each (offense and defense),” her coach Brad Gilbert told WTAtennis.com.
“Obviously, you should win with more offense, it’s not as taxing,” said Gilbert, who coached Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray.
“You’ve to be willing to do each. Possibly the best I’ve seen at each is (Novak) Djokovic. His ability to lock down on the court – he can at any moment. But then he also has this unbelievable ball-control offense,” he said.
“With Coco, that’s what we’re working toward. Keep improving, attempting to get well.”
Gauff, who turns 20 in March, can be aiming to win back-to-back majors by improving on her fourth-round showing finally 12 months’s Australian Open.
Against a formidable field at Melbourne Park, Gauff might want to lean on her ability to problem-solve on the fly, which she worked to perfection when she rallied from a set right down to defeat hard-hitting Aryna Sabalenka within the U.S. Open final.
Gilbert said her competitiveness is burning brighter than ever.
“She sets a high standard, and she or he’s driven to get well,” Gilbert said.
“She’s never satisfied. She wants to realize things – that’s all she’s fascinated with.”
