How to deal with haters? Coco Gauff has it clear: "I use them as.."

Coco Gauff continues to shine at the Mutua Madrid Open 2025 where she aims to reverse the dynamics of recent weeks. The American is seeking a major title that will set the perfect stage for Roland Garros, and her victory over Mirra Andreeva today shows that she is gradually finding those outstanding sensations she has long desired. Later on, the American touched on very interesting topics in the press conference, such as her relationship with hate messages on social media or her personal rivalry with Iga Swiatek, her opponent in the semifinals.

- A versatile tennis player, but are you working on specific things for this clay-court season?

"In general, my goal is to improve on all surfaces, but at this point in the season, I am focused on things I can do better on clay, especially compared to previous years. Mobility was one of those things, even though I usually do well, but I think I could be more efficient, and I believe I have made progress. Yes, I can perform well on all surfaces, and right now, I am focusing on clay."

- You were 4-5 and 15-40 down, but you saved those two set points... and something changed. Or not?

"From my side, honestly not much changed. I didn't change the way I was playing. I was giving away too many break points, I don't know the statistics, but I think something like 3 out of 11 in break points in that first set. It didn't change much, I just managed to win those set points. If I had converted some break points earlier, maybe I would have been the one leading 5-4. On her part, she started making more errors, but I didn't change my playing style, those break points just started falling on my side."

- Relief to see that your tennis is still working?

"I felt like I was having good training sessions and working hard, I thought the work I was doing would lead me in the right direction. A tournament like this gives you confidence since the results match the effort. I trust the process, I know there are ups and downs and it's impossible to have five perfect seasons, which is how many I've had on the circuit. I know there will be low moments, but I try not to let them affect me too much."

- How do you react to haters' comments and hate messages on social media?

"I use it as fuel. In this sport, the season is very long and sometimes fans get very dramatic after a couple of losses, they think your career is over. I just believe that one must keep training, focus on oneself, and try to silence all those voices. I don't feed what people say because I know it's not true. I would love, sincerely, to play perfect tennis every year for the next ten, although I don't know how long I'll be on the circuit. However, I can't. It's impossible, nobody does. It's part of life, so I use all of that as motivation."

- Next stop, facing Iga Swiatek with whom you were initially 3-11 in head-to-head, but you have won your last two encounters

"At the beginning of our matches, I felt that maybe I didn't give myself a chance before the game even started. What has changed is that now I have a lot of confidence that I can win. Iga is a tough opponent, but I no longer think about our head-to-head. Maybe I did initially, but now I treat every match as something new, as a new opportunity. I'm going out there with a lot of confidence, and I believe I have the game to win the match."

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