Coco Gauff required a break after her defeat to Aryna Sabalenka in the Australian Open. The American tennis star took a few days off and had her boyfriend visit her so they could spend quality time together.
Gauff had a strong start to her season, winning the title in Auckland. She continued her impressive form at the Australian Open, reaching her first semifinal at Melbourne Park. Despite being just two wins away from back-to-back Grand Slam titles, Gauff’s campaign came to an end with a 6-7 (2) 4-6 loss to Sabalenka.
Although Gauff lost in straight sets, the match was closely contested, with a few crucial points and moments determining the outcome. In the first set, Gauff managed to recover from a break down but was broken again in the sixth game. Sabalenka took a 5-3 lead, but Gauff fought back, breaking her opponent twice and taking a 6-5 lead. However, she failed to serve out for the set, allowing Sabalenka to force a tie-break, which she won convincingly.
The second set remained without any breaks until late in the set when Sabalenka broke Gauff for a 5-4 lead and ultimately served out the match in the following game.
Reflecting on the match, Gauff acknowledged that she was still thinking about the key moments that decided the outcome. She took a break of four to five days, spending time with her boyfriend. Gauff expressed her happiness at being able to practice on the court at her home, which provides a more relaxed environment compared to tournaments.
Prior to her loss to Sabalenka in the Australian Open semifinal, Gauff had defeated her in the 2023 US Open final, securing her first Grand Slam title. After losing in the 2022 French Open final, Gauff bounced back to win her second Slam final and lift her maiden Major title.
Gauff revealed that her vision of becoming a Grand Slam champion at the US Open only became real the night before the final. She called her boyfriend and had a lengthy conversation with him before going to sleep. The next day, Gauff approached the match with determination and despite losing the first set, she remained focused and gave her all. Even on match point, she didn’t feel like she had won, emphasizing her commitment to stay present in each point.
Despite her early exit in Doha, Gauff is set to compete in the upcoming WTA 1000 event in Dubai. She will be looking to bounce back and improve upon her previous performance at the tournament, where she reached the semifinals last year.
After a disappointing run in Doha, Gauff will undoubtedly be highly motivated to achieve better results in Dubai.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org