Gauff: "Grass and I do not have the best possible relationship"

Diego Jiménez Rubio | 28 Jun 2026 | 07.38

Coco Gauff, expectations at Wimbledon 2026. Photo: gettyimages

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Cori Gauff faces Wimbledon 2026 with the intention of taking a step forward on the surface that still poses the most questions for her. The American, champion of Roland Garros 2025 and one of the main contenders for the title at the All England Club, acknowledges that grass continues to be the biggest challenge for her tennis, but she is confident that she has found the path to feel more comfortable.

During the Media Day before the third Grand Slam of the season, Cori Gauff talked about her evolution on grass, explained the changes she is making in her game, recalled the enormous influence that Serena and Venus Williams had on her career, revealed a curious hobby of editing videos on TikTok, and once again defended the players' stance in the open negotiation with the Grand Slams regarding revenue distribution.

Cori Gauff analyzes Wimbledon 2026, her evolution on grass, and the current state of the WTA circuit

Cori Gauff admits that grass remains her major challenge

"The truth is that grass and I don't have the best relationship. Nonetheless, I have very good memories of this surface. I have reached the fourth round here a couple of times and I truly believe I have the level to do well. For me, it all depends more on confidence.

Also, I won't lie: I haven't had the best draws in Wimbledon in recent years, and that has also had an impact. It's a surface where I am still learning. I don't think it comes naturally to me, but we are going to make it so."

Roland Garros champion explains how she wants to improve her game on grass

Gauff stated that these past weeks have been marked by very specific work to better adapt to grass, a surface where she believes she is still building her identity as a player.

"The only way is to keep playing. It's about trying things, making mistakes, and learning. Honestly, I think I am training better on grass than in any other year since I started playing Wimbledon. Does that mean I will play a great match on Monday? I don't know, hopefully.

I am putting a lot of emphasis on footwork, adapting my style, and finding my own identity on grass. I also want to be more aggressive with my serve. It's something I perhaps missed even at Roland Garros. On grass, the serve can cause much more damage, and it is one of the aspects I have worked on the most in recent weeks."

Cori Gauff's advice for facing a match against Serena Williams

One of the main attractions of the women's draw will be the return of Serena Williams. Asked about Maya Joint's debut against the American, Gauff immediately recalled her unforgettable match against Venus Williams on Wimbledon's center court when she was just 15 years old.

"When I played against Venus on the center court at 15, I never looked at the scoreboard once because I didn't want to see her name. No matter how hard you try to block it out, as soon as you see the name, everything becomes real. Perhaps the best advice is not to look at the score.

You also have to step onto the court truly believing you can win and expecting them to play great tennis. With Serena, it's different because it has been years since we last saw her compete, and there is virtually no recent report on her game. Anyone playing against a Williams sister, whether on the Center Court or Court 1, knows it won't be an easy match."

Serena and Venus Williams remain the great role models for Cori Gauff

The American also explained to what extent the Williams sisters influenced her childhood and were decisive in making her believe she could also succeed in professional tennis.

"They have been my greatest inspiration. I started playing tennis because of them. They made me believe that I could achieve great things too. I admire them immensely. Even when I played against them, I still felt that admiration. I think it is the only time something like that has happened to me inside a tennis court."

Gauff's curious hobby of editing videos on TikTok

In the past few days, a TikTok account has gone viral where Gauff herself posts video montages edited by her. The American confessed that it is simply a hobby she developed in her free time.

"It all started three years ago. Then I stopped for another three. I am a big fan of that kind of videos, and I wanted to make one because it didn't exist yet. I never imagined it would become so popular.

The truth is, sometimes I just get bored. I start watching videos on YouTube, record some clips, and think that a certain song would fit perfectly with certain images. I'm not as good at it as I would like because it requires a lot of work. Sometimes I spend hours making a video of just twenty seconds, and that doesn't help with phone storage either.

I enjoy doing it. I think I have a pretty geeky side that people don't normally know about. I created that account thinking that only a few fans would discover it. I never imagined it would end up reaching so many people."

Cori Gauff reflects on rivalries in the women's circuit

The release of the documentary dedicated to Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova sparked a conversation about the great rivalries in the history of women's tennis and how she perceives that reality today.

"I really have to watch that documentary because, although I know the historical significance of that rivalry, I don't really know how everything was experienced from a media point of view. I don't feel there is such a pronounced rivalry in my career right now. Of course, I have rivals, but I don't think it's as individual as it could have been with them. Also, when you're inside the circuit, it's hard to talk about rivalries because, in the end, we all try to beat everyone."

Gauff maintains her support for the players' protest against the Grand Slams

The American was one of the voices that once again backed the players' demands regarding revenue distribution from the Grand Slams. Although she acknowledged the recent increase in prize money, she believes there is still room for further progress.

"I think Larry is doing an extraordinary job keeping us constantly informed. Players are doing a good job trying to stay united, respecting what each considers appropriate, but at the same time, defending a common stance.

We appreciate and value the increase in prize money, but it is still below what existed before and also below what we are requesting. Tournament revenues have increased significantly over the past decade, and we believe that prizes should grow at the same rate.

Many people think that this demand only benefits the top players because we are the ones who give visibility to the message, but there are also many players outside the top 100 or top 200 who need more support, especially when they return from an injury. We are also asking that the Grand Slams participate more actively in player welfare programs and contribute to improving our sport at all levels.

I insist, we appreciate the economic increase, but it is still not where we believe it should be. That's why my stance remains the same. I understand perfectly that there may be players who prefer not to participate in this initiative, and I don't know what will happen in the future, but as a collective, I think we are acting in the right way."

Cori Gauff approaches her debut looking to the present, not the past

Gauff also talked about her first-round opponent and confessed, laughing, that she hardly remembers many of the matches she has played throughout her career, not even some particularly important ones.

"The truth is, I hardly remember our last encounter. I'm one of those players who forget matches very easily. I remember once speaking with Roger Federer, and he could recall matches from twenty years ago. I can't even remember what I did yesterday.

I know my opponent had a great Roland Garros, but I need to watch recent matches of hers on grass because we all play differently depending on the surface. Now that you mention we faced each other in the qualifying rounds of Linz... I didn't even remember that. I certainly won't watch that match again because it's been too long. I prefer to focus on her more recent matches."

Cori Gauff kicks off a new edition of Wimbledon with the aim of proving that she can also become a reference on grass. The American knows she still has aspects to refine on this surface, but the feelings she brings to London are encouraging. If she manages to translate that work into competition, she will once again position herself among the top candidates to fight for the title.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Gauff: "La hierba y yo no tenemos la mejor relación posible"

Cori Gauff