Coco Gauff ‘inspired’ Indian Wells opponent after | Sports News

American tennis sensation Coco Gauff is set to face Maria Sakkari in the third round of Indian Wells, a match-up steeped in history. The pair have faced off eight times so far, with Sakkari leading the head-to-head 5-3.

Their most recent encounter was at last year’s Indian Wells, where Sakkari emerged victorious in three sets to reach the California final. While Sakkari has previously praised Gauff and cited her as an inspiration, their relationship may be complicated due to Sakkari’s public spat with Gauff’s close friend, Danielle Collins.

During the 2023 Canadian Open, Collins took issue with Sakkari spiking a ball into the ground and towards the stands. Despite Sakkari’s immediate apology, Collins expressed her frustration to the chair umpire.

However, Sakkari quickly defended herself, insisting that the ball didn’t hit anyone. A skirmish unfolded at the WTA 1000 Montreal event tonight as Maria Sakkari tangled with Danielle Collins.

Social media theories followed the incident, especially supporting Collins’ view that the officials should toughen up on players who recklessly send balls flying and racquet-hurling into spectator zones.

As captured in a video posted online, Collins confronted Sakkari, bluntly telling her to “Shut your mouth” not once but twice. Sakkari seemed puzzled and pressed for an explanation, prompting Collins to reprimand, “You hit the ball into the stands, Maria. You almost hit someone.”

Even though tensions were high with Gauff’s pal and fellow American player, Sakkari has historically maintained a friendly rapport with Gauff.

Despite triumphing over her at Indian Wells last year, Sakkari was keen to express her respect post-match, saying she “didn’t want to disrespect Coco” whom she celebrated as “incredible” and “amazing” Later, after a slump that had her mulling over a break from tennis, Sakkari echoed Gauff’s sentiments to reinvigorate her spirit.

Following an early exit at the U.S. Open, the seed of motivation was planted when she heard Gauff’s comments during the tournament. Gauff’s reflection on life’s larger challenges beyond a lost match resonated with Sakkari, as she disclosed to WTA Insider in September 2023.

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These thoughts would serve as a catalyst for Sakkari scooping up a WTA 1000 crown in Guadalajara, marking her first victory lap after four and a half pressure-filled years.

She recounted, “I really liked what Coco said at the U.S. Open. About how other people have bigger problems than we have when we lose a tennis match, and she’s spot on. I kept thinking about that, and that gave me strength.”

Gauff expressed her distaste for “Tennis Twitter” during the U.S. Open, crediting her critics with providing motivation. Sakkari echoed this sentiment, attributing her landmark victory to the same source of inspiration.

“We live in 2023. Social media is a part of our everyday life. You cannot avoid it,” she elaborated. “Coco said she knows the user names. I know them too. I know the person with a YouTube channel who posts all my semi-final losses, all my final losses. I’m aware. The satisfaction now, I cannot describe it. When you prove all these people wrong, it’s fuel. For me, it worked as fuel. I knew it was going to come, I didn’t know when. Thank you to them. They gave me strength.”