Coco Gauff feels ‘unbelievable’ after maiden WTA 1000 triumph
Coco Gauff has claimed the biggest title of her career in Cincinnati after beating Karolina Muchova in the final.
Gauff beat the Roland Garros runner-up, 6-3 6-4, to continue her good run of form in the US Open hard court swing and become the youngest ever Cincinnati Masters champion.
“It’s unbelievable, especially after everything I went through earlier in the summer in Europe,” said Gauff. “I am just happy to be here in this moment. I’d like to thank my lord and saviour Jesus Christ. There’s been a lot of nights crying, trying to figure it (my game) out. I still have a lot to figure out.”
The American had a disappointing Wimbledon Championships, having been beaten by the out-of-form 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin.
However, Gauff has since began working with Brad Gilbert, who is the former coach of eight-time major winner Andre Agassi, and Pere Riba.
This has seen an upturn in results for Gauff, with the 19-year-old winning the two biggest titles of her career in Washington D.C. and now Cincinnati.
She revealed what she has learnt from these past few weeks, “I think the biggest thing that I’ve learned is that everybody’s path for you is not what’s true, it’s not what’s going to happen. Even the path that you want for yourself may not happen.”
With her newfound success, Gauff will now face higher expectations as she looks ahead to her home major beginning at the end of this month.
However, she has played these down, “I’m going to give it my all at the US Open. If things go great, that’s exciting. If not, I go back and work hard and get ready for the next one. That’s kind of the mentality you have to have.”
Gauff’s best result at the US Open came last year when she reached the quarter-final, and the WTA No.6 will looking to better that when the final major of the year begins on Monday 28th August.
Coco Gauff and her run to the Cincinnati Masters crown
As well as breaking new ground by winning her first WTA 1000 event, Gauff also beat world No.1 Iga Swiatek for the first time after seven consecutive straight set defeats.
Here is her complete run to the Cincinnati title:
First Round – Received a bye as the seventh seed
Second Round – Beat Mayar Sherif, 6-2 6-2
Third Round – Beat Linda Noskova, 6-4 6-0
Quarter-final – Beat Jasmine Paolini, 6-3 6-2
Semi-final – Beat Iga Swiatek (1), 7-6(2) 3-6 6-4
Final – Beat Karolina Muchova, 6-3 6-4
wow. what a week it has been! I won my biggest title to date two weeks ago and you know I had to double itttt😝 (tik tok joke) In all seriousness, I am so thankful for all the support cincy has given me this week. Thank you God for covering me. #WTA1000 pic.twitter.com/8A7pHipqv3
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) August 21, 2023
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