Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff exchange pleasantries about their outfits at WTA Finals gala
Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff have had their fair share of achievements this season. With two Grand Slam singles titles, Swiatek has won 64 matches this year, the highest on the tour since Victoria Azarenka's 68-win record from 2012. The Pole also dominated the first half of the season, where she reached the top of the WTA rankings on the back of a 37-match unbeaten streak.
Gauff, on the other hand, became the first American since Serena Williams to make it to the top 5 of the rankings. She is also the youngest player since Maria Sharapova (2004) to qualify for the WTA Finals. The teenager also reached the top of the doubles rankings in August, and currently, the 18-year-old is ranked at No. 2 in doubles and No. 4 in singles.
The duo reacted to the WTA's social media post about the WTA Finals players' photoshoot, with Gauff commenting on how she was the only one not to sport a smile in the frame.
"Only one not smiling I guess i didn’t get the right one," Coco Gauff commented.
The Pole replied to Gauff saying how "incredible" the American looked in the photo.
"@cocogauff pleeaaase. You look incredible," Swiatek responded.
"It doesn't really bother me, to be honest; if anything, it motivates me more" - Coco Gauff on dealing with social media criticism
While Coco Gauff has had a terrific season so far, it has not prevented her from facing criticism on social media. While plying her trade at the Guadalajara Open, the American shed some light on her ways to tackle criticism and trolling.
In a press conference after beating Martina Trevisan, Gauff said she had become immune to the incessant trolling.
"I usually don't go on my phone after a losses, and sometimes I do. It doesn't really bother me, to be honest. If anything, it motivates me more. But it just depends on the athlete and the person. Some people take it to heart. For me, not so much. Also, I feel like I've become desensitized to it because I've been getting it now for four years,"she said.
The American also suggested using certain apps to filter out certain triggering words.
"It's obviously something that you kind of have to deal with, while at the same time there are certain apps that do a better job of controlling and filtering words, per se. I mean, I don't know if there is a way to change things. I'm not a tech person, so I don't know how that would work. But obviously, when you lose, you expect to get a lot of hate messages. I think you just have to kind of figure out what works best for you," she explained.