Coco Gauff’s reply to Nick Kyrgios says it all in US Open interview

Coco Gauff is looking to successfully defend her US Open title and the American has opened up on the pressure she feels at the tournament.

Coco Gauff has confidently told Nick Kyrgios she has “nothing to lose” in her quest to retain her US Open crown.

The young American sensation overcame a shaky start to dispatch Tatjana Maria on Wednesday night. Gauff’s serve was off-kilter initially, but she managed to secure a pivotal break at 3-3 in the first set against Maria, which seemed to calm her nerves.

Despite a rocky opening set featuring seven double faults and 20 unforced errors, the top-ranked American woman found her rhythm to triumph over the German in straight sets, 6-4, 6-0, keeping her title defense hopes burning bright.

Post-match, during an on-court interview with Kyrgios, Gauff reflected on the differences between last year’s win and this year’s title defenCe, admitting: “Last year I felt more pressure.”

“Stepping on the court now I have really nothing to lose. I’m 20 years old. I have one under my belt. I have the potential to do more whether it happens this year or in the future.”

Gauff is eyeing history as she aims to be the first woman since Serena Williams to successfully defend the US Open title.

Williams achieved the feat with three consecutive wins from 2012 to 2014. Not resting on her laurels, Gauff hit the practice courts immediately after her victory, honing her serve while Lorenzo Musetti and Miomir Kecmanovic battled it out in their men’s match.

Gauff said: “I felt like my toss was too far in front, and I think also when you are playing – I think I didn’t serve as fast as I normally did in some serves. I think I was between the 110s and 115s. My last match I was getting almost every serve 120.”

“I think really the mentality. If I don’t have an aggressive mindset, everything kind of goes all over the place. I think in the future I just need to serve more aggressively because I think I was playing her.