"I think everybody should support her decision" - Coco Gauff on Amanda Anisimova taking an extended mental health break from tennis
Coco Gauff has stated that everyone should support her compatriot Amanda Anisimova's decision to take a mental health break from tennis.
Anisimova was slowly but steadily making a name for herself on the WTA Tour when things came crashing down for her after her father and former coach Konstantin died unexpectedly just before the US Open in 2019. His death from a heart attack just a week before his daughter's 18th birthday, at the age of 52, put her rise in the tennis world on hold.
The American then made a public announcement in early 2023 that she would be embarking on an indefinite hiatus from tennis, citing burnout and genuine concerns regarding her mental health as the primary reasons for her decision.
"I have really been struggling with my mental health and burnout since the summer of 2022. It’s become unbearable being at tennis tournaments. At this point, my priority is my mental well-being and taking a break for some time. I’ve worked as hard as I could to push through it," she wrote on Instagram.
Gauff, Anisimova's compatriot, was recently asked to comment on the situation at a press conference before beginning her campaign at the 2023 US Open. Gauff stated that while she was surprised when she first heard about the break, she quickly understood its necessity.
"Yeah, I would say when she announced the initial break, I was surprised. I don't think anybody was expecting it or anything. But I can understand really. There is probably a lot of players who need to take a break who don't take a break," she said.
The 19-year-old added that she was surprised by Amanda Anisimova's mental strength in continuing to play after her father's death, before adding that everyone should support the 21-year-old's decision as long as she is "happy and healthy."
"She had a lot to deal with with the loss of her dad. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure he started her in tennis. I was really surprised personally how she was able to be able to continue to play," she said.
"I think that's a thing that people forget, that she's human, athletes are human. Everybody needs a break from everything. Maybe college has always been one of her aspirations, I don't know. I think as long as she's happy and healthy, I think everybody should support her decision," she added.
"I think I'm obviously a lot more confident" - Coco Gauff on her US Open 2023 campaign
Coco Gauff then commented on her upcoming US Open campaign, saying she is much more "confident" now than she was last year when she reached the quarterfinals.
"I think I'm obviously a lot more confident and, I don't know, I think the mindset is different. Having like that first-round loss at Wimbledon shows that it wasn't really as bad as it could happen, so I'm not going into this tournament worried if I lose early or not. I can't really control that result," she said.
The American added that she will not be concerned with the score and will instead focus on resolving problems in her game and troubleshooting her way out.
"I think now I'm going in with a lot more confidence. I feel like no matter the score line in the match, I can be able to problem solve and troubleshoot my way out," she said.
Gauff, who is aiming for her first Major at the New York Slam, will begin her journey against a qualifier and may face Russian teen Mirra Andreeva. The draw puts her on course to face Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals, in what would be a rematch of last week's Cincinnati Open semifinals.