"Kobe Bryant'd give himself a pat on the back but time to move on, that's the mentality I have" - Coco Gauff channels NBA star ahead of US Open final
Coco Gauff is taking inspiration from the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant as she eyes a maiden Grand Slam title at the US Open.
In the first semifinal on Thursday, September 7, the sixth seed Gauff beat Karolina Muchova in straight sets. The 19-year-old made a blistering start, surging ahead 5-1. Muchova recouped one of the breaks, but four unforced errors meant the American teen grabbed the opener.
It was more of the same story in the second set, with Gauff bursting to a 5-3 lead. However, she failed to serve out victory. In a nervy end to the match, the World No. 6 converted her sixth match point, with Muchova serving at 5-6, to become the youngest US Open finalist since Serena Williams in 1999.
At her post-match press conference, Gauff said that she took inspiration from the legendary Bryant's mentality, detailing:
"Yeah. Definitely. He's, like, has an incredible mentality. One of the things is when he's up and, you know, the finals, NBA Finals when they're up in the count or 3-1, whatever lead they have, he doesn't celebrate. He'd satisfy, give himself a pat on the back but time to move on."
She added that she's not just happy reaching the final:
"So that's the mentality that I have. I'm trying to enjoy the moment but also knowing I still have more work to do. Yes, the final is an incredible achievement but it's something that I'm not satisfied with yet."
Gauff will take on soon-to-be World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the title match on Saturday, with a new US Open champion guaranteed to be crowned.
"We were both just trying our best to stay in it" - Coco Gauff on incredible 40-point rally before match point
It might have been a straight-set win on paper, but Coco Gauff knows that the win was anything but straightforward. The American led in both sets, only to let her opponent back into the match every time.
After squandering the opportunity to serve out victory at 5-3, Karolina Muchova served to stay in the match at 5-6. After the American squandered four match points in that game, an incredible 40-point rally ensued.
A poor drop shot ended it, giving Gauff a sixth match point before a long backhand from Muchova ended the match.
Gauff touched upon that rally in her press conference, saying:
"Yeah, I knew a long point like that was honestly in contention, it was coming, just the way that game was going. I think, you know, we were both just trying our best to stay in it. After 10 or 15 shots in, I was, like, Well, this is going to change the match."
She added:
"I knew that if I could win that rally, I felt like that next match point was going to go my way, because I don't think she could have did back-to-back rallies like that. I knew that next match point, if I were to win she was definitely going to go for a winner or miss. That's what happened."
Coco Gauff is now the youngest multiple Grand Slam finalist since Maria Sharapova (2004 Wimbledon and 2006 US Open) and the youngest American to achieve the feat since Monica Seles (1993).