Gauff Aims High on Asian Tour: "I Feel Less Pressure When I Play as the Defending Champion"

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Coco Gauff is already revving up at the WTA Beijing 2025. The American convincingly defeated Kamila Rakhimova in her debut (6-4 6-0) and will battle for a spot in the round of 16 against Leylah Fernandez, the 25th-ranked player in the world. Gauff is defending her title in this tournament, but it doesn't mean any pressure for her, and her goal is to remain among the top female tennis players in the world at the end of 2025.

The year for Coco Gauff has been somewhat erratic. The American clinched the title at Roland Garros after a spectacular clay court season, but she didn't achieve the expected results in Wimbledon (first round) or the US Open (round of 16). However, she approaches the Asian tour with hope to display the same level she showed in the latter part of the 2024 season. Following her first match in the WTA Beijing 2025, Gauff attended a press conference.

- Elite players push for increased Grand Slam prize money

"It's been a very long process. There is a players' representative who I want to have the say because I couldn't attend the meetings as I had training at that time. I was informed, and I don't have much information; all I know is that this started this past Indian Wells, and I signed the letter along with the other top 10 players. The goal is to boost the prize money for players in Grand Slams, not just for us but also for players ranked in the top 200 or 300. We are trying to leverage the fact that the top-ranked players can exert pressure and are listened to a bit more, unfortunately."

- Return to China

"I feel less pressure when I play as the defending champion, for some reason. I don't know if it's because there are no more Grand Slams in the year or because I am almost qualified for the WTA Finals, but something like that is what eases the pressure for me. When you play well in a place, you have a lot of confidence. Here, I know I play well, and I feel confident when I experience the same conditions as the previous year."

- U.S. loss in the Billie Jean King Cup final

"I couldn't watch the final because I was on the plane, but I had a lot of confidence in the team. They performed very well, but Cocciaretto and Paolini thrive when playing in such favorable environments like a team competition. I felt we had a good chance, and it was a shame the outcome, but now I just hope we qualify again for the finals because I will probably play them next year."

- Regarding the first-round match

"I expected a tight match because it was the first one since the US Open. She is a great player and has been competing well in recent tournaments, but I found my rhythm and took advantage of it. Initially, I was a bit tense, but I managed to relax, and I think it was evident in the second set score. I'm also very happy with my Chinese fans, who treat me wonderfully every year and give me many things that I will cherish forever."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Gauff apunta alto en la gira asiática: "Siento menos presión cuando juego como campeona defensora"