In a heartfelt post-match interview, Coco Gauff opened up about the emotional toll she experienced following her loss to Naomi Osaka at the U.S. Open on Monday. The match, held in Flushing Meadows, ended with a score of 3-6, 2-6, eliminating Gauff from the tournament in the fourth round. Gauff expressed her feelings of disappointment, revealing that she "kind of broke down" to her team before shifting her focus to the positives of her performance throughout the tournament.
After the match, Gauff acknowledged her initial feelings of disappointment. "I think that trying to be more positive is crucial," she stated. "After the match I was really disappointed, and I kind of broke down to my team. Hearing their perspectives definitely helped me see the many positive aspects of my run at this year’s tournament." Gauff recognized that had she maintained her performance from Cincinnati to the U.S. Open, she likely would have exited in the first round. She emphasized the improvement in her serve from the start of the tournament to her match against Osaka as a significant achievement.
Despite the loss, Gauff highlighted her increasing confidence as she progressed in the tournament. "I knew going in it was going to be a tough tournament for me. Did I feel like I had a lot of confidence after my last match? Yeah, definitely. I think that was a big confidence booster," she noted. Gauff's performance in the previous rounds, including a strong showing against No. 28 Magdalena Frech, contributed to her confidence, although she admitted that losing in the fourth round felt more disappointing than if she had been eliminated earlier.
Throughout the match against Osaka, Gauff struggled with consistency, making 33 unforced errors compared to Osaka’s 12. "For sure it was not the level that I wanted to bring, but I feel like it is a step in the right direction," Gauff reflected. "Emotionally, this week has been a roller coaster, and I think today I just stepped in feeling a bit empty. Osaka really forced me to earn every point out there." This match served as a crucial learning experience for Gauff as she continues to develop her skills on the court.
As Gauff processes her U.S. Open experience, she aims to take the lessons learned into her future competitions. Despite the disappointment of her loss, she remains focused on improvement and growth as a player. Meanwhile, Osaka advances to the quarterfinals, where she will face Karolína Muchová.
