DUBAI DUTY FREE TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS

February 15, 2026

Coco Gauff

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Coco, welcome to Dubai. I see you've been having some fun. How has your preparation been?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, not a great result in Doha. Trying to look forward to doing better here. Part of the swing I usually struggle with. I don't have any expectations. Yeah, just trying to have fun this week.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You mentioned that you kind of struggle with this swing. You're not the only one. A lot of the top players do. Is it because it's after Australia? Is it conditions?

COCO GAUFF: I think it's being so close to Australia. I know some players live here, but a lot of players live in Europe or U.S.

I think the biggest struggle is obviously you're in Australia for, like, a month. Some people even more. You want to go home. You go home. Yeah, you basically have to leave and come back here and get adjusted all over again.

For me personally, Doha was a bit slower, but here it's a bit faster. I think I could struggle a little bit with that.

Yeah, maybe the transition after Australia might be tough for some players. I know some players decided to miss these two tournaments, which maybe in the future, depending on how I feel, is something I'll consider because there's no point in me coming if I'm going to keep losing first round.

Yeah, I'm going to have to figure out the right balance for me, coming to Dubai to give me an extra week.

Q. I was speaking to the tournament director yesterday. He was obviously upset that Iga and Aryna pulled out. He suggested that fines are not enough.

COCO GAUFF: Okay.

Q. He wants players to get docked points for withdrawing. He feels that's what's going to affect the players more. From a player perspective, can you talk a little bit about how tricky it is to actually make a decision of pulling out of a 1000. Do you see the tournament side? Do you see at all the docking points to be fair?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, for me, I don't think I've ever really pulled out of a 1000 that I can remember off the top of my head. Yeah, I definitely don't think players do it, like they just don't want to play. I don't think it's that decision.

You look at, like, burnout throughout the year. Although maybe it might not affect you now, it will affect you later.

I feel like for me, this part of the season I have always struggled I think just because of the transition and things like that.

Do I think players should be docked points? Not really. We already have the mandatory. We get zeros on our ranking for everything. For this point in the schedule, I think it's hard to play all the tournaments now that they're two weeks. I think the ask of players are becoming more and more and more.

I do understand the tournament side. They obviously want the players there. In the past I think top players have always come to Doha and Dubai. This draw has historically been a tough draw. I understand it's unfortunate this year.

I don't think it's fair for players to get docked points. I think, if anything, we should have an optional 1000 like the men do with Monte-Carlo.

Yeah, I think that's a little bit harsh in my opinion.

Q. What was the key mental shift after winning your first Grand Slam?

COCO GAUFF: Oh, wow. I guess just trying to let go of the pressure of trying to win a Grand Slam. I think obviously when I came on tour, I felt like there was a lot of expectation for me to win one. I felt that I had to do that to be worth something (smiling). Then you learn you don't have to do that. Sometimes I can fall back into that mindset.

But I think the biggest thing was actually letting go. I think my plan when I won US Open was to use that as a tournament to practice and try to win Australian Open. Then it actually happened there.

I always say it happens when you least expect it to.

Q. Are you going to continue with what you are doing with your new coach? How does it affect you mentally during the matches?

COCO GAUFF: I think, yeah, I mean, I feel like I'm trusting the process. I mean, I'm very tough on myself. It is easy to look at this and be like, I'm doing so bad.

When I look at all my seasons, maybe it's something I need to fix, but in all my seasons I just haven't done well here. I'm trying to figure out the recipe.

Also in all fairness to this part of the swing, I think most players would agree they want to peak at the Grand Slams. For most of them - I still have to figure out Wimbledon - I have been doing that.

It's a learning process. I think my serve is improving. I feel more comfortable going after it. The doubles are definitely less this year. I just have to trust that.

Q. Many questions about the surface and the balls after Australia. Now the Middle East swing. Do you feel something different between Australia and Doha?

COCO GAUFF: I mean, definitely the balls feel heavier in Doha just because of the climate, I think. I think it's normal. I played with the balls, Australian Open balls, the whole pre-season. They still feel different in Australia. I think it's just the climate.

But they're using the same balls as Australia, which I think is good because we're changing balls all the time. I think they can't help the climate, how it affects the balls. I would like to see more consistency on tour when it comes to balls.

Q. Obviously you're traveling the whole year. A lot of the times your time zone is completely different to home. You probably wake up a lot to weird news coming out of the United States. Same with us looking at whether there's going to be a war or not. This past year in particular, when you wake up and see the President wants to get Greenland, people are getting killed, all of these things, what has this period been like? Do you wake up and look at the news? Do you try to shut it out? How difficult has that been?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think for me as a Gen Z person, I get a lot of my news from social media. I don't really watch the news. Actually here, because it's one of the only English channels, I have been playing CNN while getting treatment.

I think while in Australia with all the stuff was going on in the U.S., I didn't see it till days afterwards. I know some people were saying some things were being censored. I don't know how true it is nor not. For me, I'm someone that likes to stay informed. Once I see something happen, I like to do the research on it.

Yeah, everything going on in the U.S., obviously I'm not really for it. I don't think people should be dying in the streets just for existing. I don't like what's going on.

I think for me, it is tough to wake up and see something because I do care a lot about our country. I think people think I don't for some reason, but I do. I'm very proud to be American.

But I think when you're from any country, you don't have to represent the entire values of what's going on in the leadership. I think there's a lot of people around that believe in the things I believe in, believe in diversity and equality.

Hoping as the future progresses that we can get back to those values, similar to what Madison said at the Australian Open.

Q. Do you find it hard that you want to speak about what you believe in, but you also have a career, and there are demands on different things? Did you ever feel that you wanted to say something and you couldn't? Or the opposite also, like you're forced to say something and you're kind of torn?

COCO GAUFF: I never feel torn when I'm asked a question. Obviously when you're in a tournament, you may not, like, come out and do a statement or things like that. But I never felt torn when I'm asked a question because it is relevant. If you're asking me, I'll going to tell you how I feel.

I think a lot of people on social media, on the other hand, like to say to stay out of politics, stay out of the things that are going on.

You're going to be asked these things in press. People want to hear our opinion on it. Some players choose to say no comment, which is also completely in their right. I understand that. Some prefer to state their opinion.

I think the biggest thing I hate is when people say stay out of it when we're being asked it. If you ask me, I'm going to give you my honest answer. For me, that's my honest answer. I always try to always answer honestly.

I have no problems. I lived this. My grandma is literally an activist. This is literally my life. I'm okay answering tough questions.

Q. You've obviously been here many times over the last five years consecutively. Wondering if you had a chance to see the changes taking place around the venue? A new Court 1, some other changes.

COCO GAUFF: I didn't even know that (smiling).

I think at the site, when the hotel is on the site, I don't explore much or see much. Someone asked me the other day if they made changes. I said no. I guess they have. That's completely my fault. I guess I have to explore more.

I've only practiced on center, then Court 10, which always existed, obviously. I guess I need to walk around and explore more. That's my fault.

Q. You signed with Mercedes. I'm doing a piece about the Mercedes-WTA tie. Your views on how did it feel to get that deal, especially with such a global brand? It's the biggest deal in women's sports history with the WTA. How big a milestone is that for the WTA? Do you see it changing things moving forward?

COCO GAUFF: For me, it was super cool. Obviously I feel like Mercedes is a great brand, been around forever. They built their status on that side of the world.

I think for me to be able to represent that at such a young age I think is pretty cool for me. It's such a prestigious brand.

I'm also happy they decided to support women's tennis and allow me be the face of that new transition for them. I think it's great for the tour, great for women's sports. It definitely shows we have market value. These big, prestigious brands want to get involved. Also like, Rolex has been part of tennis for a long time.

Yeah, I'm very happy to be representing Mercedes. I'm happy the tour is cool to see the little symbol on the net. I'm like, Okay, we're moving on up (smiling).