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Coco Gauff, the World No. 3 and reigning US Open champion, has sparked debate with a candid take on her rivalry with fellow American stars Jessica Pegula and Emma Navarro. Amid a turbulent 2025 season—marked by early exits at the Australian Open, Qatar Open, Dubai Championships, and a recent Indian Wells upset to World No. 58 Belinda Bencic—Gauff is under scrutiny. Yet, the 21-year-old is brushing off comparisons to her compatriots, declaring one specific metric “means absolutely nothing” to her. What’s behind her defiance, and why is she dismissing the race for US No. 1?
Coco Gauff’s Blunt Admission
Gauff’s 2025 season has been anything but smooth. From shock losses to lower-ranked opponents to battling inconsistencies in her game, the pressure is mounting. Yet, in a fiery press conference at Indian Wells, Gauff dropped a bombshell about her priorities—and they don’t include chasing the title of US No. 1.
“Honestly, it never meant anything to me,” Coco Gauff declared when asked about competing with Jessica Pegula (World No. 4) and Emma Navarro (World No. 8) for domestic bragging rights. “I just feel like all the people say it online. And for me, it really means absolutely nothing. I don’t like to look at it. I don’t care.”
For Gauff, the obsession with rankings pales next to her ultimate goal: Grand Slam glory. “The reason it means nothing is because of the goal, obviously, is to be No. 1, period,” she explained. “I’ve never been a rankings girl. Really, I want to just win Grand Slams. My dad always said, ‘the number, the ranking will come with the Slams.’”
Her focus is laser-sharp. “If I win a Slam this year and don’t become number one, I will be satisfied. I’ll be more satisfied than if I became number one and didn’t win a Slam.”
The statement underscores Coco Gauff’s unyielding ambition, even as her rivals gain ground. Pegula, backed by her billionaire father’s sports empire, and Navarro, daughter of Credit One Bank magnate Ben Navarro, bring financial clout and resources to their careers. But Gauff, who lifted the 2023 US Open trophy, remains undeterred by their pedigrees.
Her recent struggles, however, can’t be ignored. A 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 loss to Bencic at Indian Wells highlighted lingering inconsistencies. Yet Gauff’s defiance suggests she’s recalibrating, not retreating. “I’m looking more at winning Slams,” she reiterated, doubling down on her Grand Slam-or-bust mentality.
Fans are split. Some applaud her single-minded pursuit of majors, while others argue that domestic rivalries fuel growth. But for Gauff, the math is simple: trophies trump rankings, and legacy outweighs labels.
As the clay season looms, all eyes are on whether Coco Gauff can channel this mindset into a resurgence—or if the weight of her own expectations will prove too heavy.
