Home

Tennis

‘Anxiety-Provoking’- Days After Coco Gauff’s US Open Success, Serena Williams’ Former Coach Reveals the Real Backbone Behind the 19-Year-Old’s Maiden Title Triumph

Published 09/14/2023, 1:13 PM EDT

Follow Us

via Reuters

Coco Gauff made history at the US Open this year. The 19-year-old American sensation, who is in the form of her life recently won the US Open and defied all the odds. However, there have been many factors that helped Gauff secure her first major title. Speaking about the same, Serena Williams‘ former coach Rennae Stubbs came ahead and named one such thing that helped Gauff land her first title.

In the same interview, she also gave a rare Novak Djokovic reference while drawing comparisons to how she stepped up and managed the situation just like the Serbian player.

Rennae Stubbs highlights the importance of fans in helping Gauff win her maiden title

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Tennis expert Rennae Stubbs believes that the roaring Arthur Ashe crowd played a significant role in Coco Gauff’s incredible US Open victory. According to Stubbs, the crowd’s energy and noise affected Gauff’s performance more than expected.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Stubbs compared Gauff’s love for intense matches and lively atmospheres to Novak Djokovic’s style. However, she noted that even for someone like Gauff, the Arthur Ashe crowd was overwhelming. Stubbs drew from her own experiences, recalling matches in Spain and the Fed Cup with loud, passionate crowds. She explained how the crowd’s reactions can make players anxious, causing them to miss shots due to fear of disappointing the fans.

Trending

Get instantly notified of the hottest Tennis stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

“I think that the crowd factor was absolutely a part of this match. And there’s no doubt about it. And I think arena actually, of all the players, I thought she could handle it because she loves the fight and the atmosphere, very much like Novak does,” said Rennae Stubbs while describing the impact of having fans behind your back.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

“And you know, the crowd is going to go absolutely bonkers when you miss it. And it’s very anxiety-provoking, and it often makes you miss a lot of shots because you’re like, they’re gonna yell and scream,” she further added.

Stubbs’ insights highlight the crucial relationship between players and their audience. In Gauff’s case, the Arthur Ashe crowd became more than spectators; they became an integral part of her triumphant journey, shaping her performance in the spotlight.

However, while the crowd can be a source of motivation for the players, it can sometimes also demotivate them. Coco Gauff, in an interview, shared how she had to switch off all her social media to not get distracted ahead of a crucial final.

Coco Gauff switched off her social media before the US Open final

In an interesting revelation, Coco Gauff revealed that she had to switch off her social media to concentrate fully on her US Open matches as she did not want any distractions. She revealed that there were many who said that she could do it but there were many who thought that she could not do it.

That is why she preferred it was better for her to take some time off and focus completely on her game. This eventually helped her as she was crowned the champion of the US Open. Thus, fans have played a tremendous role in amplifying their support for the current US Open. Also, Rennae Stubbs’ words shed light on the importance of having a good crowd behind your back.

Watch this story: The Journey of Roger Federer to the Elite Billionaire’s Club

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :

Written by:

Akshat Gaur

1,098Articles

One take at a time

Akshat Gaur is a Tennis Writer at EssentiallySports. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in 2021 and has been writing since then. With over two years of experience in the world of sports journalism, specifically tennis journalism, Akshat is someone who is immensely passionate about covering the ATP and the WTA Tour.
Show More>

Edited by:

Bhavani Singh