Coco Gauff: I'm ready to get back on court and travel again

American teen Coco Gauff says she is ready to get back to the courts and compete on the tour and says playing without fans will be easier for her since she was used to the same on the junior circuit.

Coco Gauff on playing the US Open

Speaking to BBC Sport, Gauff spoke about playing the US Open without any fans. "It will be easier for me to address. I've only been on tour a year so I will just go back to my junior years when we didn't have much of a crowd - when there's only your parents at the tournament, I'll just go back to my - I guess - my home. I'm ready to get back on court and travel again - I like travelling more than I like staying home."

Gauff says she is trying to learn to deal with all the attention on her and thee advise she received from one of her role models - Michelle Obama - was very helpful. "I just be myself, I don't really focus on the cameras. I just be myself and hope that works out. She )Michelle Obama) gave me really good advice. She's a big inspiration to everyone across the world, not just because she was the First Lady. She continues to push boundaries for women of colour."

The American, who has risen in the rankings over the past 12 months, says she also wants to be an inspiration to her younger brothers. "My determination to win is one thing that always drives me, and also my brothers - to inspire them to get up and work hard. I know they look up to me so I try to be a good example. Every time I go to a tournament I ask them what they want. From Australia my youngest brother Cameron said he wanted a shark tooth necklace and my other brother Cody, he's 12, asked for 1% - or it may have been 10% - of my prize money. He is so money-orientated, which is not a good thing! He would probably start at 50% and bargain his way down to 10%! But he still hasn't got any yet."

Coco Gauff is the youngest player in the top 100 world rankings and has a career-high ranking of No. 49 in the world in singles, and No. 42 in doubles. Gauff won her first WTA singles title at the 2019 Linz Open at the age of 15, making her the youngest singles title-holder on the WTA Tour since 2004. She also has won two WTA doubles titles with compatriot Caty McNally. 

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3eSOxxw