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Coco Gauff admits she feels extra pressure to do well at this year’s US Open, but stresses she’s “not trying to follow in Serena Williams’ footsteps”. The 19-year-old Gauff won two titles before the U.S. Open, making the American the favorite to win the title at Flushing Meadows.
“Yeah, definitely… I do think there’s a little bit of pressure, everybody’s looking at me. It does take the pressure off in a way because she’s the greatest player of all time,” Goff awnings people.
Goff ‘didn’t try to complete Williams’ steps’
American women’s tennis has not had a U.S. Open champion since Sloane Stephens won in 2017.
Additionally, there hasn’t been an American woman in a U.S. Open final since Williams lost to Bianca Andreescu in 2019. Goff is in superb form and locals hope that will change this year.In the same interview, Gough also emphasized that she “There’s no way I would want to go through these steps.” Furthermore, Gough added: “But obviously I do want to be the best version of myself and do the best I can.”
Ahead of the US Open, tennis legend Martina Navratilova said this could be the perfect moment for Gauff to take over the torch from her idol Williams.
“I think she’s ready to (accept) the torch, but I also think she realizes there’s some big shoes to fill…The passing of the torch is obviously a symbolic passing from Serena to Coco. She’ll be with (the first two) No. 1 seed Alina) Sabalenka and Swiatek play side by side.
To me, she is the third favorite to win the tournament. With her confidence, maybe even a little bit better than that, with the crowd behind her, I think it’s going to be crazy,” Navratilova said of Gauff’s U.S. Open chances before the match.