ROLAND GARROS

May 27, 2025

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

C. GAUFF/O. Gadecki

6-2, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Coco, first-round match of a Grand Slam can be tough, especially with no racquets on court. How did you turn that around?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, well, the most important thing is to play with a racquet. So I was getting through the first step. After that, maybe it probably relaxed me going into the match, because it was just such a funny thing.

Yeah, so I'm just happy to get through today and I will remember my racquets for next time.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You usually wear such great kits for every Grand Slam, and this time we saw you with a leather jacket for the walkup. Talk about that. What was the inspiration?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, honestly, that was all up to New Balance. I didn't really know. I knew the kit that I was wearing because we try it on, obviously. But they gave me the leather jacket, and I saw it this week. I was like, Oh, wow, that's fire.

I talked to them how I always wanted to spice up my walk-on outfits, just because I feel you can do a lot because you're not playing. We talked about doing a leather jacket and we talked about doing other stuff. I don't want to say 'cause in case we actually do it.

Yeah, I was pleasantly surprised with it. Yeah, I think it's cool. I feel like it matches, like, the Parisian vibe here, and it just makes me feel super powerful going onto the court.

Q. You're one of the leaders of American women's tennis. Not the only leader but one of the key leaders. Talking about two-and-a-half years since Serena has retired, and you guys have been able to do so much incredible stuff. Couple slam winners. Wonder how it makes you feel her legacy is living on and you guys are so powerful, talented, and deep?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think it means a lot to all of us. I think we all root for each other. To have your compatriots on tour makes it a lot easier. Having people you can call and go to dinner with, deal with this life. No one knows how it is except the players on tour.

And just to have so many options for friends, so many options for practice, so many options for doubles, it's just nice. And I guess to be a part of that means a lot.

And yeah, with Serena, I think she's inspired so many to play tennis, including me. So she definitely has a lot of credit when it comes to just getting racquets into people's hands, and obviously the more racquets you get into people's hands the more chances you have for people to do great on tour.

Yeah, it's great to be part of that.

Q. As you mentioned before, first rounds can be a little edgy. How is your edginess heading into first rounds today, especially at Grand Slams?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, usually I'm very nervous. I was a little bit today, but I think it was just the least nervous I have been heading into first round of a Grand Slam. And the whole racquet situation I think just took a load off, too.

I think, yeah, wasn't nervous today. I knew the conditions were going to be difficult. It's kind of one of those matches I went into knowing it wasn't going to be pretty tennis all the time. I think it just, with that mindset going in, it just makes you feel better necessarily when you aren't winning the points the way you kind of want to.

Q. How do the nerves change as the rounds go on?

COCO GAUFF: Well, I think no one just wants to lose first round, and it happens. Half the draw loses first round. When you put it in that perspective you realize it's really not that bad, to be honest.

Yeah, I think as the rounds go, I think it's just with every tournament you feel more comfortable out there on the court. You have a match under your belt and know how to deal with certain situations.

Yeah, I think for me, I think the first round is the most nervous I get. After that, you just feel like it's a little bit more smooth sailing.

Q. You have been coming to Paris and Roland Garros for many years now. Wondering if you have settled into Parisian routine?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah. Yes and no. I mean, I still explore new things all the time. But, yeah, sometimes when I play later I'll go walk in the gardens, but for the most part I think I try to do new things each trip, even if it's just going to dinner in a different area than where I'm staying. Not necessarily tourist things. I have a couple of things today I want to do, but who knows if I have the time.

Q. I just wondered what informs your decision whether to play doubles at an event, and what are the pros and cons of doing so?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, honestly nothing. To be honest, in Madrid, Robin asked me in Miami if I wanted to play doubles. And I like Robin, she's one of my closest friends, and we have known each other since we were maybe nine years old. I was, yeah, it would be so much fun to play on that level with someone I have known so long. So that was kind of my decision with that.

Then Rome, honestly I was just thinking how it's a long two weeks. Originally I wasn't going to play doubles in Rome, and Alex DM'd me I think before my semifinal in Madrid and she asked me if I wanted to play. I was, like, Yeah.

Yeah, I think it was honestly just them asking me, especially them being around my age, just having players around my age. I obviously knew Robin. But Alex I didn't know well. I thought that would be a good opportunity to know her and make a friend. Yeah, that was the reason why I decided to play.

Q. What were the advantages and disadvantages?

COCO GAUFF: Oh, advantages, especially in the long Masters 1000s, I think, just speeding it up, the time, faster. Obviously I got lucky that I went finals in both tournaments, so it didn't feel so bad. If you lose early and having to wait for the next tournament, it's a long wait.

And same here. I probably wasn't going home after Rome if I had lost early. So better just to be in the tournament doing something, feeling like you're competing and not losing that edge.

Disadvantage, obviously scheduling, waiting around. The weather could play a factor. You know, hoping that you get the schedule that you want so you can still feel fresh for singles.

Q. Would you say it's easier or harder for a teenager to win a Grand Slam title? Maybe there is the advantage that once one is older of having more experience and all of that. There is maybe also on the other side the advantage of being more of an unknown or less a player who everybody has seen a lot if you're younger?

COCO GAUFF: I guess it depends on where you are on that spectrum. I feel like for me it felt harder just because I felt like in my game and maturity-wise I was probably nowhere near ready to win one in the early ages, like being a teenager. But everyone expected it because of that hype train around it.

You have to be realistic that these are developing players and not many tennis players these days are reaching their peak so young. Most players are reaching... Look at Sabalenka. I feel like not later, she's still young. But just people I think in our sport think of it like that. Any other sport, most people are peaking a little bit later.

Obviously you have, if you're maybe someone like Emma or, you know, someone who is a little bit under the radar, yeah, maybe it's probably a little bit easier because you don't have that necessarily pressure.

It's all situational. For me, I think it just depends on when you first came on tour how much "hype" it is, and if the player is able to knock all that out, because it is tough to sometimes.

Q. I would like to ask you, being now in the top quite a while, what is the key factor that you think the one who is No. 1 the most of the time during the year is managing better than the other 2, 3, 4?

COCO GAUFF: I mean, probably consistency. I mean, to be No. 1 you have to win a lot. Aryna has been winning a lot. In the years that Iga was mainly the No. 1, she was winning a lot.

I think just consistency on tour. And each year I think you learn how to manage that consistency. It's not easy when you're winning. It may look like that but it's not. We are winning matches and playing more matches and you have to learn how to manage the year. I think, you know, both of them probably managed the year pretty well.

I think for me to reach that point, obviously there is games that I have, parts of my games that I have to change. Also I think it comes with experience and learning how to manage the year.

Q. As stated, you are one of the leaders of female tennis. I want to ask your opinion on almost no female matches are scheduled in the night session.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think here it's a unique topic just because there is only one slot at 8:15. Yeah, to be honest, if you want, I don't think any girl, I mean, prove me wrong, but I don't think anyone wants to play after the 8:15 match.

I don't know what the other girls think, but I think most people would rather play before that. Maybe there is a chance to put someone at 6:30 or 7:00. But yeah, I think if there is only going to be one match at 8:15, yeah, maybe there could be a woman's match, but if they want to start the night session at 8:15, I'm sure most girls on tour would rather not play after a men's match and have to go on at 11:00 or 12:00.

I think it's just tournament to tournament. This tournament it seems like this is what they want. Most tournaments do have the two matches, one starting at 7:00 and one afterwards.

Yeah, I can't really complain, but I think it's just up to the tournament, honestly. But, yeah.