"I was in a really dark place" - Coco Gauff opens up about shock Wimbledon 2023 exit
Coco Gauff has talked about her harrowing experience at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, where she suffered a shock first-round exit.
Gauff went into last year's Wimbledon on the back of a semifinal finish at the Eastbourne International. However, a performance marred by errors against Sofia Kenin in the first round of Wimbledon saw the American ousted much earlier than expected.
In a recent interview with Time, the reigning US Open champion briefly touched on her state of mind following her loss to Kenin. According to Gauff, the defeat left her "in a really dark place" and unable to leave her room, despite being invited by her parents to dinner.
"I was in a really dark place, I put my identity too much into tennis. It was taxing to feel awful all the time," Gauff told Time.
However, despite Gauff's forgettable outing at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships, she bounced back in style by winning the Washington Open. The 2022 French Open finalist made a major tweak to her coaching setup in the build-up to the WTA 500 event, appointing iconic coach Brad Gilbert.
Prior to coaching Gauff, Gilbert famously worked with Andre Agassi and also had spells with Andy Roddick and Andy Murray. Under Gilbert's guidance, Gauff won against Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the 2023 US Open for her maiden Grand Slam title.
"I'm very frustrated and disappointed" - Coco Gauff after losing to Sofia Kenin at last year's Wimbledon Championships
Gauff lost the first set of her first-round match against Kenin at the 2023 Wimbledon Championships. However, the American showed her fighting spirit by roaring back into the contest and winning the second set. Ultimately though, it was Kenin who progressed as seventh seed Gauff collapsed in the third set and bowed out.
Following her loss, Gauff talked about her frustration and disappointment. She also said at the time that the work she was putting in, despite being a lot, was not translating into results on the big stage.
"Right now, I’m very frustrated and disappointed. It makes me want to work even harder. I feel like I’ve been working hard but clearly it’s not enough. I have to go back to the drawing board and see where I need to improve and how to do the right drills to do that," Gauff said during a press conference.
Right now, Gauff is preparing for her second-round match against Arantxa Rus at the 2024 Mutua Madrid Open.