Coco Gauff Claims Auckland Classic Title, Kicking off Strong Start to 2021 Season
Coco Gauff triumphs in Auckland Classic final, securing a powerful start to her season with a remarkable comeback victory over Elina Svitolina, prevailing 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3
At the Auckland Classic final on Sunday, Coco Gauff successfully defended her title by defeating Elina Svitolina 6-7(4) 6-3 6-3. This victory marked her eighth WTA title, matching Serena Williams' record for American teenagers in the last 25 years.
According to the Auckland Classics website, Gauff stated: "It wasn't my top performance, but winning when you're not at your best can be even more satisfying. Beating Elina gives me a lot of confidence. I'm proud of how I handled the pressure, especially after losing the first set. Today, I showed a lot of mental strength."
Svitolina, who has already climbed back into the top 25 after returning from maternity leave nine months ago, fended off two set points in the first set when Gauff had a chance to take the lead.
Coco Gauff from the United States celebrates her victory over Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus in the Women's Singles Final match at the 2023 US Open. The match took place on Day Thirteen at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens, New York City on September 9, 2023. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Even at the age of 10, tennis coach Patrick Mouratoglou believed that US star Coco Gauff would become great. The former world No. 3 won the set in the tiebreak, but Gauff bounced back in the second set, taking a 5-2 lead and maintaining her advantage until the end.
The third set began with tension, but Gauff broke Svitolina to take a 5-3 lead. She then successfully defended a break point as she served for the win. Gauff's early tournament victory adds to her impressive performance from last season, which included winning her first grand slam title at the US Open in September.
The most important lesson I learned from winning a slam is that sometimes you have to win even when you're not playing your best. This week, I was able to do just that," she stated.
"This victory has given me a great deal of confidence as I look ahead to Melbourne. After winning a slam, it's crucial to be able to rise to the challenge once again. As the No. 1 seed, there are high expectations to win, and I had to mentally adjust to that."
Gauffs attention will now turn to the 2024 Australian Open which begins on January 14.
