MUTUA MADRID OPEN

April 30, 2025

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

C. GAUFF/M. Andreeva

7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Congrats, Coco, you're in the semifinals of the Mutua Madrid Open. What are you most happy with your performance today?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, definitely off the ground I think I was dictating most of the rallies, so happy with that, and for sure movement and, yeah, serving well, so, yeah, overall happy with everything.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You go to a final in Roland Garros, you have good curriculum in the US Open, you won it. Your game suits any kind of court, or you are working especially something in clay?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, overall I think I'm just trying to get better on all surfaces, but obviously at this point of the season I'm more focused on the things I can do better on clay compared to the years before. Movement was one of those things, even though I usually do well, I think I could get more efficient, and I think as the matches have progressed I'm doing that.

But as you said, I'm able to do well on all surfaces, but, yeah, I think at this point of the year I'm just focused on the clay court. And then once it's over I'll go back to the other things I need to improve.

Q. What's it like facing so many dropshots? Even for you, probably fastest player in the world, is it ever annoying?

COCO GAUFF: No, it's not really annoying, I mean, she was hitting good dropshots. Like, I am fast, but she was playing them smart. Yeah, I was just like, Too good. I mean, the first two were ones I had a shot, a play on it, but the ones I didn't have a play on it, I don't really feel, like, there's nothing I can do. Like you said, I'm fast, and if I can't get to it there's probably nobody else on tour that's going to get to it.

So, yeah, they weren't annoying, it's just part of the game. We practiced for it, I expected it. Granted, I probably didn't expect her to hit them so well consistently, but it was cool.

Q. Is there a relief to see your game coming together this week, after the match in Miami you were maybe starting to doubt it was going to happen, finally it's paying off, is there a sense of, okay, it's going to be okay?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, I felt like I was having good practices and working hard, so I felt like the work that I was doing was going in the right direction. But, yeah, obviously it gives you confidence when the results are matching the work and, yeah, just trusting the process and knowing that there's ups and downs. And, yeah, it's impossible to have a great, you know, perfect seasons five years on tour now, so there is going to be some down moments, but just trying to not let them keep me down.

Q. What exactly changed in these 15-40 double set point in the first set? Looked like something really changed.

COCO GAUFF: On my end, honestly I don't think much changed. I didn't change the way I played. I think I was giving so many break points on her serve, I don't know what the stats were, but I think in the first I was like 3-11 or something like that.

I don't think much changed, I think I just was able to get those set points. And, yeah, maybe if I were able to get those break points earlier in the set it could have been easily me up 5-4 serving for it.

So, yeah, and then, I mean, maybe on her end I think she started giving more errors, but I didn't really change the way I played. I think it was just finally those break points were coming my direction, whereas before earlier in the set I had so many opportunities, but it just wasn't clicking. And it was credit to her, I don't think I did too much wrong on some of them. Some of them she just aced me, hit a great serve, great shot, great dropshot, so it's fine.

Q. Obviously Iga next. She's dropped a couple sets this week, but she's still winning, so I'm just wondering do you go in feeling, Okay, this is a good chance for me against her on clay, do you always feel that you have a good chance, or do you see her differently this time?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, I feel like I always feel like I have a good chance, I mean, against anybody I play. If I go into the match thinking I don't, then I've already lost the match.

No, I don't pay attention to the sets or anything, because at the end of the day it's a new week, new time. I lost the first set this tournament, 6-0, and everybody was like, Ooh, she's going to lose next round, or whatever. And so it's just tennis, like, you lose, you reset, you start again.

Yeah, I'm going to expect her to play some great tennis and probably her best tennis, and I'll try to match that by playing my best tennis.

Q. I don't know if you saw this, but Tyrese Haliburton was voted the most overrated player by, anonymously, like in the NBA. And then when they won, the Pacers won last night, they advanced, he wrote this morning, Overrate that. And I know that in the past, like when you won US Open, you said you were fueled by kind of your "haters." Is that something you still use as fuel, do you feel that people underrate you at all, and, yeah, just wanted your mindset around that.

COCO GAUFF: I didn't see that, but, I mean, shout-out to him to overcoming that. Yeah, it is something I use as fuel. I mean, like I said, tennis, it's a long season, and I think sometimes tennis fans sometimes get dramatic if you lose a couple weeks, and they think your career is over. Yeah, you just, but when you're in it, you're just like, Okay, I'm just going to practice, focus on me, and just try to prove everyone wrong. Me, I don't feed into what people say, just because you know it's not true.

I mean, if I could play perfect tennis of, I don't know how long I'm going to be on tour, but every year for 10 years, then, yeah, I would love to. But I can't, and it's impossible, no one else does it. Yeah, it's part of life, so I just use it as fuel to do better and as motivation.

Q. How much has your experience helped you to kind of trust the process, and was there any moment that you think of that kind of allowed you to see things in that way when you were younger?

COCO GAUFF: For sure, honestly, the year, US Open year. I mean, I lost first round Wimbledon, I literally kind of wrote myself off that season and was like, Okay, I'm just going to try to get through this and try to do well for Australian Open, and then all that happened.

Same with last year, didn't have great hard court swing after Olympics, and did well in year-end finals.

So I know myself and I know I can come out these tough moments, and it's just making sure that the mentality is great and that I can come out of that.

So, yeah, and it's a learning process and, yeah, I would love to be consistent for all the full year, but, you know, if I'm not, I'm not going to dwell on it, and just try to do better for next year.

Q. I want to mention some data. You played with Iga Swiatek 14 matches, she won 11, you 3. But the last two games that you have with her was, were your victories. Would you say that you have changed something that rapidly you could change your game and win with Iga Swiatek who is a tough opponent? Do you have your own system to play with her right now?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think just belief. In the beginning of our matchups, I mean, she was a top player, and I felt like I maybe kind of wrote myself off before the match even came, and now obviously I have a lot of belief.

Yeah, she's a tough opponent and, yeah, I don't think about that head-to-head anymore. I mean, maybe at the beginning I did. Now I just treat it as a new match, new opportunity each time. And, yeah, I'll go out there with confidence, and I believe that I have the game that I can win the match.

Q. You used to play a lot of doubles, now you need to keep your energy, but the relation with Pegula or McNally is still fresh, or now you are individualistic, or how is that?

COCO GAUFF: No, Jess and I, we're cool. Well, she invited me to go to movies, but she didn't follow-up on that (laughing). I don't know if y'all saw that.

But, yeah, Jess and I are cool, and all the people I played doubles in the past are cool. It's just more, I mean, we both, I mean, Jess is playing less doubles too, me as well. This week I played doubles and I enjoyed it, and I'm deciding in Rome maybe I'll play or not, kind of depends on how I feel.

I think it helps me. I definitely won't be playing a full schedule, or definitely won't be playing in the slams, but every now and then I think it's good just to go out there, because I think it brings me joy to play, and then it translates into my singles.