Later this month, Coco Gauff returns to Roland Garros with a new title under her belt, stepping into the role of defending champion for the first time.
With that comes unique pressures, and it will be intriguing to see how the American deals with them.
She has one of the most watched faces in tennis regardless of form, and this extra weight could either lift her game further or slow her down.
Following her opening-round win at the Italian Open, Gauff’s comments suggested she is already working to manage that pressure before it becomes an issue.
Coco Gauff shares thoughts on returning to defend Roland Garros title
Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
Speaking about what it means to go back as the defending champion, and how it compares to her return to New York in 2024, Gauff said she’s no longer putting extra pressure on herself. It’s one thing she feels she can control.
The world number four said: “Yeah, I think more so internally. I guess the stakes are technically the same. I don’t know, I realise that the defending means nothing in a way. Like, each year is a new opportunity and new chance for anyone to win. Obviously, I hope it’s me.
“I don’t really look at it as defending anymore. I guess at the US Open I was like, I need to defend, defend. When you’re playing a tournament that you didn’t win, what is it called?
“Yeah, that’s why I just say like now it’s just another tournament. I won it last year. I’ll try again to do it this year. I’m not going to be able to defend every year. I’m not Rafa (Nadal). Maybe one day.”
Coco Gauff on defending her French Open title
Asked about how she feels about defending such a prestigious title, and how it differs from when she returned to New York in 2024 to defend that title, Gauff admitted that she is no longer piling the pressure on herself. That, at the very least, is what she can control.
The world number four admitted: “Yeah, I think more so internally. I guess the stakes are technically the same. I don’t know, I realise that the defending means nothing in a way. Like, each year is a new opportunity and new chance for anyone to win. Obviously, I hope it’s me.
“I don’t really look at it as defending anymore. I guess at the US Open I was like, I need to defend, defend. When you’re playing a tournament that you didn’t win, what is it called?
“Yeah, that’s why I just say like now it’s just another tournament. I won it last year. I’ll try again to do it this year. I’m not going to be able to defend every year. I’m not Rafa. Maybe one day (laughter).”
This was a far more upbeat conversation than the one she had earlier in the week when Gauff backed players considering a boycott of Grand Slams over pay disputes.
Read more:
-
Iga Swiatek explains what made her win over Caty McNally so tough
-
What gave Felix Auger-Aliassime a confidence boost in his match with Jannik Sinner
-
Coco Gauff admits she may change racket setup after Rome win
