'Proud' Coco Gauff reminds herself she's headed in the 'right direction' after semi-final loss
A philosophical Coco Gauff reminded herself she's heading in the "right direction" despite admitting she sometimes sees "the glass half empty" following her semi-final defeat to Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open.
Gauff went into the semi-finals unbeaten in 2024 after winning the title in Auckland and was on a 12-match streak in majors.
The American had a chance to rise to No.2 in the world at this tournament, and snare her second major as a teenager before she turns 20 in March.
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Coco Gauff frustrated during the loss. Getty
Gauff told reporters she felt she had played better in her loss to Sabalenka in Melbourne than in her maiden grand slam win over the Belarusian at the US Open last year.
The semi-finalist knows she's in a good place in her career, even though she has to remind herself to take the long view.
"I tend to be hard on myself, so I feel like today I was, like, dang, but I think looking back on, like, overall this stage of my life, it was obviously a successful time," she said.
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"I saw a stat that I think I'm up there with Serena (Williams) and (Jennifer) Capriati with the wins at slams.
"I saw that and it made me feel, I don't know, I just feel like I look at the glass half empty, so I'm negative.
"Then I looked at that stat and I'm like 'they had great careers'. So I'm like, I'm in the right direction.
"I just have to remind myself of the journey and not so much of the moment. I am really proud of myself.
"I did want to win a slam as a teenager, and I did that. Obviously today I was hoping to get No.2, or at least give myself a chance to get No.2.
"It didn't happen, but I feel like I'm there, yeah. So hopefully I can go only upwards from here."
The first set contained six service breaks. Sabalenka led 5-2 and missed a set point as Gauff went on a four-game roll to take a 6-5 lead. Gauff also couldn't serve out.
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In the tiebreaker, Sabalenka raced to 5-1 and chants of "Coco, Coco" echoed around Rod Laver Arena, where the roof was closed because of rain.
It didn't help Gauff, who won points on just three of her 17 second serves in the first set. That made her push harder and led to six double-faults.
The second set was tight, until Sabalenka broke in the ninth game.
After missing her first match point when Gauff saved with a forehand winner to end a 12-shot rally, Sabalenka earned a second match point with an ace and clinched it after 1 hour, 42 minutes.
- with AP
