In an exclusive interview, Coco Gauff, the rising star on the WTA Tour, shared her views on players who inspire her. She revealed the name of two players who have been the subject of controversial incidents, both on and off the court. Gauff continues to feel inspired by their fighting spirit.

The 18-year-old has had a stellar 2022 season. Earlier this year, she became the youngest player since Maria Sharapova to reach the final of a Grand Slam tournament when she made it to the Roland Garros final. Now, due to her consistent performances of late, she has reached a career-high ranking of no.4 in singles, and no.2 in doubles.

Gauff shares her admiration for Naomi Osaka and Kyrgios

The young American star, Coco Gauff, has spoken openly about her admiration for the Australian star, Nick Kyrgios, on numerous occasions. The Australian has been in excellent form in 2022, but many fans and pundits argue that his volatile behavior on the court keeps him from realizing his full potential. Even though Gauff acknowledges this part of his style, she admires the way he is prepared to live his life on his own terms.

Similarly, Gauff adores Naomi Osaka and is a huge fan of the tennis player. She shared how she frequently texts Osaka. Despite enduring a poor season, the Japanese player picked up a few noteworthy victories en route to her first final, in Miami, since winning the Australian Open in 2021.

Gauff acknowledged the dynamic players’ support and asserted that they are already changing the sport. In an exclusive interview, she said, “Nick doesn’t worry about what people say about him. Naomi isn’t catering her career to other people’s opinions. They’re waking the sport up, including myself, and I admire them so much for what they’ve done.”

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Gauff also shared how both Kyrgios and Osaka, are showing the way for the younger generation to be themselves on the court.

Coco Gauff once expressed her opinions regarding Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open 2021

Citing her deteriorating mental health, the four-time Grand Slam champion withdrew from Roland Garros 2021 before her second-round match. Following Osaka’s withdrawal, Gauff expressed her respect for the star player and emphasized the importance of the Japanese star to the tennis community.

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Coco Gauff added that Naomi Osaka was the first player to contact her following her stint at Roland Garros. The world number two, at the time, created a stir by refusing to fulfill her media duties. She had intimated that she wouldn’t participate in any press conferences at Roland Garros due to her mental health issues. Following that, she took a long break away from tennis, and is yet to regain her old form.

What are your thoughts on both Kyrgios and Osaka? Do you think their off-court antics often affect their performances on the Tour?