Coco Gauff recently shared how she coped with her Australian Open semifinal defeat to eventual champion Aryna Sabalenka before resuming her 2024 campaign.
Gauff kicked off her 2024 run on a stellar note by successfully defending her title at the ASB Classic in New Zealand. The 19-year-old was in formidable form at the Australian Open as well. She did not drop a set at the tournament until her quarterfinal clash against Marta Kostyuk, where she got the job done in the deciding set.
The 2023 US Open champion’s impressive Grand Slam streak of 12 consecutive wins, however, came to a close in the semifinal. She faced a familiar foe in defending champion Aryna Sabalenka for a spot in the final.
While Gauff was able to conquer the Belarusian in the final of the 2023 US Open, Sabalenka, who eventually won the tournament without dropping a single set throughout, proved too hot to handle for the American in Melbourne. Sabalenka defeated Gauff 7-6(2), 6-4 to hand the American her first loss of the season.
Gauff recently opened up about how she dealt with the disappointment.
“I would say that the first night I was like still thinking about the things that went on in that match. You know, I felt like it was decided by a couple of points,” Coco Gauff admitted in an interview for Sky Sports at the 2024 Qatar Open.
