WTA Ostrava: Coco Gauff as in earlier times - "You have to cheer yourself on more"
Coco Gauff is currently riding a wave of success at the WTA tournament in Ostrava - which could possibly also be due to the fact that her last appearances in front of empty ranks were not too long ago.
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Oct 21, 2020, 08:09 am
Three wins and no loss of a set - that's how you start a tournament. That was probably what Coco Gauff thought, who had played her way through the qualification at the WTA event in Ostrava and also showed a more than appealing performance in the first round of the main draw: With 7: 5 and 6: 4, the US- American against local hero Katerina Siniakova and bought her ticket for the second round.
The fact that indoor hardcourt is being played again in the Czech Republic should be 55 in the world ranking list. more than just being right. After early defeats at the clay court events in Rome and Paris, Gauff is now again operating under the same conditions as in her only tournament victory in Linz 2019 to date.
Everything is different on the WTA tour
Since the success in Upper Austria, almost everything has changed, and not just for the American. Ostrava will also be playing behind closed doors this week due to the corona pandemic and the increasing number of cases in the Czech Republic - not necessarily a disadvantage for Gauff, especially against Siniakova: "It's different because she didn't have the support she had at a home tournament normally would get. "
But there is another reason why Gauff sees more than just disadvantages in the current situation: "It reminds me of my time with the juniors when we didn't have many spectators either." A look at her age shows that this wasn't too long ago: Gauff only turned 16 this year and took part in junior tournaments until 2018.
Gauff now against Sabalenka
From these, the already very emotional youngster is apparently used to raising the energy level in crucial phases even without the support of the audience. "You have to cheer yourself on more," said Gauff, who will meet Aryna Sabalenka, who is third in the second round. "She pulls through and has a great service", the American knows about the strengths of her upcoming opponent.
"I want to go out, have fun and see what I can do," said the 16-year-old, who will probably be on the Center Court again on Thursday. A circumstance that feels "strange" compared to her time as a junior: "It's stranger to play in an empty stadium than on an inanimate outdoor court."