‘Enjoy life, love yourself’ – Coco Gauff opens up about her new attitude to tennis
Teen sensation Coco Gauff has opened up about her new attitude to tennis explaining that you should just “enjoy life” as she looks ahead to her first ever Grand Slam semi final.
Coco Gauff has had a strong past month on clay as she reached the last 16 at both the WTA 1000 events in Rome and Madrid.
She has upped that form into Roland Garros as she has reached the semi-finals in Paris without dropping a set.
On Tuesday, the 18-year-old comfortably beat fellow American Sloane Stephens 7-5, 6-2 to reach her first Major semi-final.
The win meant that Gauff surpassed last year’s impressive run at the French Open where she reached the quarter-finals before being beaten by world number five Barbora Krejcikova.
Speaking after her quarter-final victory, the Atlanta born Gauff discussed her new attitude to tennis and to life which enraptured the Roland Garros crowd.
“Enjoy life,” she said.. “No matter how good or bad my career is, I think I’m a great person.
“That’s a message for all the young players out there that your results, your job or how much money you make doesn’t define you as a person.
“As long as you love yourself, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.
“Ever since I joined the tour, or even when I was young, [I was described as] the next Serena, next this, next that, and I think I really fell into the trap of believing that.
“It’s important that you have high hopes for yourself, but at the same time it’s important to be in reality and I think that’s where I am.
“I’m enjoying the moment and enjoying the situation.”
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