Coco Gauff dismisses French Open status in Rafael – Sports News
After Iga Swiatek captured the 2022 French Open title, she retained her trophy at every of the subsequent two tournaments. Rafael Nadal received the match 4 straight instances on three separate events.
Speaking forward of the 2026 match, she defined how her earlier mindset of “defending” a Grand Slam crippled her. Now, Gauff is telling herself that she’s “not Rafa.”
“I realize that the ‘defending’ means nothing in a way,” she defined. “I don’t really look at it as defending anymore.”
At the US Open, I used to be like, ‘I need to defend, defend,'” Gauff said of her mindset going into the 2024 tournament following her shock 2023 win during an interview in Roma.
“When you are taking part in a match that you simply did not win, what’s it referred to as? That’s why I simply say now it is simply one other match: ‘I received it final 12 months. I’ll strive again to do it this 12 months.’ I’m not going to have the ability to defend yearly. I’m not Rafa.”
Nadal, now 39, is inarguably the greatest clay player in tennis history. His 14 French Open wins are the most by any player at any Grand Slam.
The Spaniard won each tournament from 2005 to 2008, from 2010 to 2014, and from 2017 to 2020. Nadal felt no pressure from “defending” anything.
Gauff will hope to ride her form at the Italian Open to another Roland Garros crown. “There are a lot of positives I can take from this match and a lot I can be taught from,” she said after her final loss to Elina Svitolina.
“This week I skilled all of the ups and downs of a match. … I’ve been down, had the lead, misplaced the lead. I’ve been in the ultimate, been down match level. I believe I’ve skilled each state of affairs that may put together me for Roland Garros.”
“Hopefully, I can truly be taught from every state of affairs and do higher.”
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