Coco Gauff, world number three, is attending the Mutua Madrid Open as a finalist from the last edition. The American, champion of Roland Garros 2025, talks to Mercedes about her start to the season and expectations on the clay court tour
How does it feel?
I feel great. I’ve had some inconsistent results this year, but I think my performance in Miami gave me confidence and hopefully I’ll have a good feeling for the rest of the season.
How would you describe your current form and confidence level?
I think I have quite a lot of confidence. I got good results here [Mutua Madrid Open] last year, so that gives me confidence. But I think it’s just the beginning; it’s only my second tournament of the clay-court season. I’ve only played two matches on this surface, so I think I’m trying to find my rhythm and focus on my goals for the rest of this part of the season.
Do you have a preferred surface to play on?
That’s a difficult question for me. I think hard court is my favorite surface because it’s the one I grew up on, but obviously clay has also given me a lot of joy
What stands out about Madrid compared to other tournaments are the fans
What makes the tournament in Madrid different from the rest?A. I think what stands out the most is the fans. I feel like there are a lot of kids and young people here. They are very energetic and very excited to see the players. And I’m excited to play in front of them.
Last year you reached the final here. How motivated are you to go one step further and win the title this year?Yes, I’m super motivated after reaching the final last year. Obviously, it was a bit disappointing after the match. So I think it would be great to take the trophy this time.Do you defend your crown at Roland Garros? Is that the big short-term goal?
I don’t see it as a defense. I think it’s just another opportunity to try to win and fight for my dreams. So I don’t know, I don’t want to make a big deal out of it. I think if I don’t, I’ll be fine. And if I do, I’ll be fine too.
It’s the third racket of the WTA, only behind Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina. Both have had an incredible season so far, what do you think it takes to beat them?
I think the main thing is to improve my game and my serve, and just trust myself. Honestly, they are very good players and every time I face one of them it is a difficult match. I think the key is to learn to perform better in those difficult moments of the matches.
Read the full article here
