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Coco Gauff remains unshaken despite facing criticism over her recent dip in form. The American tennis star is currently in California, gearing up for the prestigious Indian Wells tournament, and she had a clear message for those doubting her abilities.
Gauff endured a challenging Middle East swing, struggling to secure a single victory. After reaching the quarter-finals at the Australian Open, where she lost to Paula Badosa, the 20-year-old suffered early exits in Doha and Dubai. She was defeated by Martha Kostyuk in Doha before losing to McCartney Kessler in straight sets in Dubai. These results mean the world No.3 enters Indian Wells on the back of three consecutive straight-set losses.
Despite these setbacks, Gauff remains confident in her ability to bounce back and perform at the highest level.
Gauff’s Confident Response to Critics
Addressing the media in her pre-tournament press conference, Gauff dismissed concerns about her recent struggles and emphasized that losses are part of the sport.
“Everyone makes a bigger deal than what it is,” Gauff told reporters. “I lost two matches – I’ll lose more matches back to back. It’s going to happen.
“Everyone is, like: ‘Oh, she’s sinking.’ Okay, we’ve been through this. I’ll pick it back up. To me, for me, I guess it feels like a month, but it’s just two tournaments, and at this calendar, I have so many other opportunities, and I can’t win every match."
The 2023 US Open champion admitted that defeats sting but remained optimistic about returning to top form quickly.
“But at the end of the day, I was upset that I lost, but it’s a loss, like, it’s going to happen again. I’m going to lose back-to-back again,” Gauff said. “Hopefully, it doesn’t happen too many times in my career.
“It’s just one of those things that you just move on and get better. You know, the results will come. It’s, you know, just normal, I think.”
Gauff Ready to Compete at Indian Wells
Gauff, who reached the semi-finals at Indian Wells last year, will begin her campaign this Saturday after receiving an opening-round bye. She is set to face either Britain’s Emma Raducanu or Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima in her first match.
With no American woman having won the Indian Wells title since Serena Williams in 2001, Gauff has the chance to make history. She enters the tournament as the highest-ranked American, leading a strong U.S. contingent aiming to end the 24-year drought.
A Strong American Presence in California
The United States boasts a strong group of contenders this year. Alongside Gauff, world No.8 Emma Navarro arrives in California fresh from her title win at the Merida Open in Mexico. Meanwhile, world No.4 Jessica Pegula, who recently triumphed at the ATX Open in Austin, is another formidable presence in the draw.
Additionally, Madison Keys, the reigning Australian Open champion, is backing her fellow Americans to make a deep run in the tournament.
“I think it’s probably been a little while since there have been so many American women doing as well as they are,” Keys said. “I’m really excited. I think not only are there the names that everyone obviously knows and are a little bit more established, but there’s also a ton of up-and-comers that are doing really, really well.
“I would not be surprised if you saw some really great results from the U.S. women.”
Gauff Focused on the Bigger Picture
Despite recent setbacks, Gauff remains steadfast in her belief that her best performances are ahead. With Indian Wells offering a fresh opportunity to shine, she is ready to silence the critics and reaffirm her place among the elite in women’s tennis.
