MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 1, 2025

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

C. GAUFF/I. Swiatek

6-1, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Coco, congratulations, you're in the semifinals of Madrid for the first time. What do you think made the difference today?

COCO GAUFF: I mean, I started off pretty well. Obviously she wasn't maybe playing her best tennis, but I think I made her uncomfortable, and honestly just today was just a good day for me.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. I just saw you posted on Instagram you became the second youngest tennis player arriving to final since 2009. How do you feel about that?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it's pretty cool. I'm just, like it's always funny when I see like "the youngest" stats, because I'm like, I thought they would go away now that I'm 21, but, you know, I'll ride it as long as I can.

But, yeah, overall I'm just happy to be in the final of this tournament. I've been coming here, and I don't think I've ever made it out of the fourth round, so just happy to improve and reach this stage.

Q. When you say said you found a way to make her uncomfortable, could you just explain on how you did that?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, obviously she is very talented and can make you run and move you around the court. And I just tried to not do that today, which is what I did all the times that I, or tried to do all the times that I played her. Obviously I've gotten a lot better since maybe our first couple times playing each other, and obviously the results are showing that. Not that she hasn't gotten better either, obviously she's doing great, too. I just feel like it's one of those days you just step on court and everything feels good, and today was that day for me.

Q. It was not the final of Roland Garros, different match, but who do you prefer tomorrow in the final, Elina Svitolina or Sabalenka, which is your favorite?

COCO GAUFF: I don't have any preference, honestly, they're both tough opponents. Obviously Aryna is world No. 1, so it would be cool to play her in the final and give myself that challenge.

But also Elina has been on tour and very consistent and she always, every time I play her we have tough matches. Same with Aryna. So either way is going to be a tough match, I have no preference.

Q. When you play deep into these draws you have a lot of first-time matches early on and then these sort of rivalries with Iga. Is it different playing, like in your approach to the game, and sort of how much you enjoy playing someone so many times, versus like a first-time matchup?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I will say maybe I prefer first-time matchups just because it doesn't feel repetitive. But, yeah, Iga and I, like, I'm like, Oh, my gosh, I cannot believe we played each other this many times. I'm 21 and I think she's 22 or 23, so we're going to be, and this is, like we're so young, and we both at least have, like, I would say, 10 more years in this game.

So I wouldn't be surprised if we, I feel like we're going to end up having the record for most times playing against each other ever in tennis history honestly at this point.

But, yeah, so I think I prefer the fresh matchups, but also like, I mean, the last, yeah, I don't mind playing someone over and over again. But now I'm on the winning side of things, so it feels better than when I was 0-8 and stuff like that.

Q. Of course people are calculating right now, so do you know that if you win this tournament you will get into the second position in the ranks, is that important for you to be again on the very top?

COCO GAUFF: No, I'm going to be honest, it's not important to me, honestly. I mean, the only number that would mean a lot to me is 1 at this point. But, yeah, anything anywhere else is just, it's just a number. So, yeah, but, I mean, obviously it's a reward for the work that I'm doing and the consistency that I'm showing, but it's not something that I think about or have a goal to reach.

Q. As you said, you played Iga so many times. She just said that she's not moving as well as she used to, and she doesn't feel her footwork is as precise as it used to be. Is this something you're aware of when you're playing her these days, that maybe she is not moving as well as before?

COCO GAUFF: I wouldn't, I mean, today, I try to take today out of it, just because it wasn't her best day, obviously. But I played her in United Cup, which I felt like she was playing great tennis, and to me she was moving well. But, I mean, obviously maybe today wasn't a great day, but yeah, every time I play her I feel like she's one of the best movers on tour. But again she's probably reflecting on her performance today, and maybe this week, and it maybe wasn't to her standards, but overall I still think that she's a great mover.

Q. Just one more on Iga. I mean, is this the matchup that gets you maybe more aroused as a player than any other matchup, considering there was the big deficit win/loss, you're now making up some ground as you got more established, is this the matchup that when you're in the locker room that you really dial in maybe even more than any other matchup?

COCO GAUFF: Yes and no. I think in the past I think I almost dialed in too much where I just like put so much pressure on myself. Now I'm just like, I don't know, I just feel like, whatever. It's like, if I win, great, I get another win on the board of that head-to-head, and if I lose it's just another loss.

I think I used to put too much pressure on myself when playing her, but now I just approach it like any other match and accept the result either way. I just try to make sure that when I play her, if I lose, it's because she won the match and not because I lost the match myself.

Q. So you won again with Iga Swiatek. Is that victory making you more happy than the other, is the class and the 6-1, 6-1 the biggest enjoyment so far from your victories with Iga?

COCO GAUFF: I think my biggest enjoyment was probably, either the first time in Cincinnati or United Cup. I would say United Cup more, just because it was the final and I really wanted to do it for my team, so, yeah, I would think that.

But honestly, the score, a win is a win and honestly when you, I don't know, I feel like you feel more satisfied when you win one of the tougher ones. But also, I mean, it does show, the score does show the work and the progress that I've made. But, yeah, I would say United Cup just meant more to me, just because it was a team event and I was super nervous going into that match because of the team event environment.