By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday January 25, 2024
Coco Gauff’s closing Grand Slam as a youngster resulted in disappointment, however the American is attempting to see the positives after falling to Aryna Sabalenka 7-6(2), 6-4 on within the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday evening in Melbourne.
“Total a optimistic event,” Gauff instructed reporters after the loss. “I had probabilities in each units, however she performed higher tonight. I felt like I did my finest with the sport plan that I had. I feel it simply got here all the way down to a few factors, and that is tennis.”
The American was bidding to change into the fourth American teenager to notch 50 wins on the Grand Slams as a youngster, however fell one victory brief. She expressed combined feelings about her efficiency.
The People that received 50 or extra matches as youngsters had been Mary Joe Fernandez (57), Tracy Austin (56) and Jennifer Capriati (50).
“I simply really feel like I take a look at the glass half empty, so I am adverse,” she stated. “Then I checked out that stat and I am like that they had nice careers. So I am in the precise route. I simply need to remind myself of the journey and never a lot of the second.
“I’m actually happy with myself. I did need to win a slam as a youngster, and I did that. Clearly right this moment I hoped to get No. 2, or at the very least give myself an opportunity to get No. 2. It did not occur, however I really feel like I am there, yeah. So hopefully I can go solely upwards from right here.”
Regardless of the loss, Gauff can take solace in the truth that she reeled off a 12-match Grand Slam successful streak and received her maiden main title in her final two Grand Slams as a youngster (she is going to flip 20 in March). She has already performed two main finals, successful one, and owns a report or 49-17 on the Grand Slams.
Although disenchanted, she wished to make it clear that she is having enjoyable and having fun with her journey, and received’t let one end result outline her narrative.
“Yeah, I’m having enjoyable. I really feel like if I ever get to a second the place I cease having enjoyable, I might take a break,” she stated. “I feel for me crucial factor is to proceed that, having enjoyable. Although tonight I misplaced, it was nonetheless an ideal aggressive match.
“I watched these matches rising up and, like, watching Serena and watching Sharapova lose, like, these [types of] matches. It looks as if while you’re in it, it appears like the tip of the world. However then while you take a look at historical past, they did not let one match outline their profession.”
