Coco Gauff is one of the United States’ biggest hopes of winning the US Open this year and she has discussed the pressure she is feeling in New York.
Gauff is a former US Open champion, having won the event in 2023, and she is one of five American women left in the draw at Flushing Meadows.
As the second top-ranked US women on the WTA Tour, just one place behind Jessica Pegula, the expectation is that she will do well at the Grand Slam.
In her recent post-match press conference, after defeating Cristina Busca in straight sets in the third round, Gauff was asked if the pressure she is under is similar to Alex Eala’s.
Eala has been one of the most popular stars at the tournament, with the Filipino community flocking to each of her matches at the Grand Slam.
As a result, Gauff believes the pressure she is under is very little compared to that of Eala’s.
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“I can’t empathise at all, because she’s, like, the first Filipino player to break a lot of the barriers that she’s done, especially, like, on the female side,” said Gauff.
She continued: “And when you speak of athletes from the Philippines, I mean, she’s doing similar things to what Manny Pacquiao was doing for her country.
“I’m lucky to be from the U.S., where we had a lot of icons to look up to and people who’ve already broken down doors for me to be here where I am, so I can’t really empathise on that aspect.
“I think the only way I can is maybe just, like, the hype of everybody expecting you to win every single match. I guess I can empathise on that standpoint, but I definitely think she probably has more pressure or, well, I don’t know, from the outside looking in, has more pressure.
Eala and Gauff are firm friends in tennis and they have often played doubles together over the years. The American opened up about their relationship in her press conference.
As far as our relationship, Alex and I are friends,” continued Gauff. “Her family just reminds me so much of mine. Like, she has a brother, and both her parents are usually with her at tournaments, and she’s just such a cool, like, nice girl, and someone I would like to get to know even more.
“We just went for dinner for the first time, actually, in Toronto, and I got to know her a little bit more. Then, and obviously, we played doubles together. But I have a lot of respect for her from what she’s doing. But yeah, I can’t really empathise. I feel like she has more pressure than I do.”
Gauff and Eala have played each other twice on the WTA Tour, with each player sharing one win apiece.
Gauff defeated Eala at the Abu Dhabi Open earlier this year and the Filipina star earned a win against the American one month later at Indian Wells.
