US OPEN

September 11, 2026

Coco Gauff

Press Conference

E. RYBAKINA/C. Gauff

3-6, 6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Coco, great run over the tournament. Questions.

Q. Coco, what do you think turned this match in her favor, and what do you hope to take from this experience?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, I think she played really well. I thought it was a good match, and it honestly came down to a couple of service games of mine in both sets and I didn't quite hold.

I mean, I have to look back and see what happens, but she does a great job of just being there every point and putting a lot of pressure on you on service game and return game. So, yeah, I think she was able to hold, like, the line a bit better than I could tonight.

Q. I was just curious, I mean, you seemed to be hitting the forehand a lot better earlier on than you did in the later stages. Was there anything specific about, you know, the forehand that gave you more trouble?

COCO GAUFF: No, I mean, I think sometimes it's like that. You're playing better in the beginning of the match than in the end. I think she started making less unforced errors. Because of that, then I am making more errors.

Maybe the shot selection wasn't always the best, but yeah, like I said, I have to look back, because right now it's a little bit of a blur.

Q. How would you compare your approach coming into this match and your strategy compared to how you did in Toronto? Also, what do you feel like were some differences between those matches and how they played out?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I thought in Toronto both of us played a really sloppy first half of the match, honestly. So the goal was not to start the match and play sloppy. I mean, I won that set, but I think we both could agree it was an error-filled set in Toronto.

I think today I started off playing much better tennis. I was feeling the ball a lot better.

Yeah, I think the goal was just try not to play too much defense. Obviously you're going to have to against her, but not only relying on that, because she's playing great tennis, so her shots are going to land.

So, yeah, I think that was just the difference. Honestly, it worked better today. I think I just have to do better in some of those service games towards the end of the sets.

Q. I know this is not a new phenomenon for you, but I was struck again by how much the crowd gets behind you and how warm they are and supportive towards you all the time. What does that feel like for you to be on the receiving end of that in this stadium?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it means a lot. It always sucks at the end to feel like -- well, I know it's not complete disappointment, but just not be able to get the win for them, but they definitely carry me through a lot of these matches here.

I can feel the love all the way down to the last point. I think it's a rare experience I think as an individual to be able to experience that. I think most athletes experience that on team sports or team events. Tennis is so unique that you literally -- I probably had, like, 99.9% of a crowd behind me and solely for me.

It's an experience and an environment that I will always cherish, because I know -- I hopefully have a lot more years out here, but I know in hindsight of life, it's not that long.

Q. Sort of with that, you know, when you get it back from 4-1 to 4-All and when you break at 5-3 in the third, are there some players maybe, like, she was able to kind of hold that off, where maybe some players you think that might have been a little too much for them?

COCO GAUFF: Like the crowd?

Q. When they're building like that and the crowd is getting louder.

COCO GAUFF: No, I think it's good. I'm not sure -- I'm not understanding the question. Sorry.

Q. You have to have some kind of toughness that she showed that some players wouldn't in that kind of situation.

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think Elena is probably -- not nonchalant. I don't want to say that, because she's not nonchalant, but just no reaction ever.

I'm sure -- like, it may appear that way, but we're all feeling nerves and stuff. Now, how much of that she lets get to her, we don't know, and I think that's, like, the strength of her. You can never see what she's feeling.

For sure, she's human, so she's feeling nerves and all the things that we all feel. But like I said, she's dealt with this on more than one occasion, so she has the experience.

Q. Coco, how is it for you washing tournaments out of your system, whether it's a win or a loss? Do you have something where you're, like, I'm going to try to move on and not hold on to this no matter what the outcome is for a certain period of time, or do you evaluate it based on how the tournament went for you? What will the after-process be like for you?

COCO GAUFF: I'm just looking towards next year. I think every US Open -- I mean, no disrespect to other tournaments, but every US Open is kind of where my mind is just focused on the improvement for next year.

I will play in China and hopefully can qualify for WTA Finals, but every time I've played those events, it's been for the purpose of trying to try things for next season or trying to figure out what I need to work on in the offseason.

I mean, the mindset works because I'm usually successful at those events, so I think this US Open will just be about going back and seeing what I can improve on and what I need to try to implement or put in my game in the Asian swing.

Q. I think this summer has been one of the most consistent stretches of your career. You're going deep in pretty much every tournament. I know this is tough to take, I'm sure, but how much confidence does it give you that you're giving yourself an opportunity in big tournaments every time?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, right now I'm, like, it sucks. My dad came up. He was, like, You accomplished so many great things this summer. I was, like, I don't care about the summer (laughing). So right now that's where my head is at.

But, I mean, it's the goal. I want to be a consistent player. I want to give myself as many opportunities to lift a trophy.

But yeah, it hurts. Yeah, it's all great, but I think the competitor in me, this is the tournament I want to perform at -- I mean, I did perform, but the one that you want to come out with a win.

It's definitely a learning experience, and I hope to continue to keep putting myself in positions to hopefully win.

Q. We talked a lot about you before this tournament last year, where you were at mentally and how you wanted to sort of rebuild your game so you can evolve. I wonder if you felt that you have succeeded in that sense and that you've maybe played this Grand Slam more on your terms than you have in the past?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, for sure. I think I played almost every match on my terms. I think the worst, like, match for me was maybe the quarterfinal where I maybe fell back into some old habits, but in 24 hours I was able to switch that.

I think it's confidence to continue to improve. I'm looking at the other women, other semifinalists. They're older than me, like, three, four years older than me.

I'm just trying to think of how much work I put into the year, how far I've come, and now I'm just excited to keep putting the work in for another year, another two years, and see where I'm at at 24, 25 and where my game can take me. Hopefully it will be on the winning end of matches like this.