"I'm not Carlos Alcaraz" - Coco Gauff jokes about her poor drop shot attempt at ASB Classic, calls it the 'worst shot' of 2024
Coco Gauff poked fun at her unsuccessful attempt at a drop shot at the 2024 ASB Classic, hilariously drawing a comparison to Carlos Alcaraz.
Gauff kicked off her title defense at the WTA 250 event with a dominant 6-4, 6-2 win over Claire Liu. She advanced to the semifinals with straight set wins over Brenda Fruhvirtova and Varvara Gracheva.
The American then battled it out against Emma Navarro for a place in the final. The 19-year-old continued her stellar run in Auckland, defeating Navarro 6-3, 6-1 in just 62 minutes.
During their match, a comical moment unfolded when Coco Gauff attempted a drop shot which failed to clear the net. However, the World No. 3 took the blunder in her stride, reacting with a sheepish smile as she playfully tossed her racquet in the air.
Following the match, Gauff humorously commented on her drop shot, acknowledging it as an aspect of game she needed to improve. She also joked that her attempt was a contender for the "worst shot" of 2024.
The 19-year-old then hilariously quipped that she couldn't match Carlos Alcaraz, who is known for his exceptional use of drop shots.
"Today there was one really bad one. I don’t even know what that was, it landed on my side. It has to be the worst shot of the year, they need to pull that up at the end of the year," Coco Gauff said in her post-match interview (via Tennis365).
"I couldn’t do anything but laugh. Sometimes It’s like that. I was working on my drop shots, I’m not Carlos Alcaraz. But the goal is to be somewhere with the drop shots," she added.
Gauff also acknowledged her successful drop shot during the match and expressed her desire to make further improvements in this area. Although the American rated her drop shots a six out of 10, she conceded that they had in the past proven effective in challenging situations during matches.
"I did hit one good one today, so I’m happy with that. Hopefully, I can continue to get better, but that one bounced two feet in front of me, it was hilarious. I rate my drop shots a six out of 10. But they’ve saved my life in some scenarios, so I can’t get too upset at them," she added.
Coco Gauff will lock horns with Elina Svitolina in the ASB Classic final. Svitolina leads 1-0 in their head-to-head record, having won their sole previous encounter at the 2021 Australian Open in straight sets.
Coco Gauff: "I’m making smarter decisions on the court, with emotions and everything"
Coco Gauff also expressed confidence in her development as a player, stating that she was making smarter decisions on the court and handling her emotions in an effective manner.
"I think I’m a lot smarter player. I know what level I can bring and I know how to play and manage it. Every match isn’t going to go my way, but I think I’m making smarter decisions on the court, with emotions and everything," she said in the same post-match interview.
The 19-year-old disclosed that she was enjoying her tennis without burdening herself with any unnecessary pressure.
"I’m having fun, I’m not putting so much pressure on myself," she added.
Coco Gauff, who won her maiden Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open, will aim to carry her confidence forward into the Australian Open, which commences on January 14.