Coco Gauff, currently ranked world No. 3, expressed her optimism for the upcoming clay-court season as she prepares to compete at the Stuttgart Open in Germany this week. The 20-year-old American is eager to make her mark on the clay courts after her last triumph at the Emilia-Romagna Open in 2021.
Gauff’s focus remains firmly on the Stuttgart Open, where she is scheduled to face fellow American Sachia Vickery in her opening match. Despite her previous successes on clay, including reaching the final of the French Open in 2022, Gauff is determined to approach each tournament with renewed determination.
“For the clay court season this year, I’m really optimistic,” Gauff remarked. “Obviously, the goal is to win the French Open, but that’s every season of any top player. Your goal should be to try to win the big tournament.”
Gauff’s aspirations extend beyond the French Open, as she sets her sights on achieving success in tournaments leading up to the Grand Slam event. With Madrid, Rome, and Strasbourg on the horizon, Gauff is determined to add a recent clay title to her resume.
“I want to try to win Madrid or Rome or here [Stuttgart],” Gauff stated. “The last time I won a clay-court title was a couple of years ago if I’m not mistaken, so I kind of just want to get a recent clay title under my belt. So any of the ones along the next couple weeks would be nice.”
Reflecting on her recent performance at the U.S. Open and Australian Open, where she reached the semifinals, Gauff exudes confidence in her ability to contend for titles in upcoming tournaments. With former coach Jean-Cristophe Faurel rejoining her team, Gauff feels supported and ready to tackle the challenges ahead.
“I’m always feeling confident about myself,” Gauff affirmed. “Especially after the U.S. Open, I can be a contender. Semifinal in Australia, losing to Aryna who ended up winning. I feel like I’m definitely a contender in all the tournaments, and it just comes down to the crunch-time moments and who can perform better.”
Gauff’s reunion with Faurel brings a sense of familiarity and trust to her team, enhancing her preparations for the clay-court season. With her sights set on success in Stuttgart and beyond, Gauff is poised to make her mark on the clay courts once again, aiming to add more titles to her growing list of achievements.
Gauff in Stuttgart, ranking, and results in 2024
LWWLWLWWLW Currently the world no.3 (career-high), Coco owns an overall 19-5 match record in 2024. Gauff is currently having a run in Stuttgart where she managed to beat the world no.134 Sachia Vickery 6-3 4-6 7-5.
The American conquered 1 title in 2024 in Auckland.
Coco won 7 titles in her career: 5 on hard courts, 1 on clay courts and 1 on indoor courts. (See the list of her titles)
Gauff will compete next in Madrid (Mutua Madrid Open). She will start from the main draw that will commence on the 22nd of April.
Coco Gauff |
| Embed from Getty Images |
