Gauff to pretend crowd are 'cheering for me' against Boisson
Coco Gauff managed to grind her way past Madison Keys and into the semi-finals (ALAIN JOCARD)
Coco Gauff said on Wednesday she will pretend the French crowd "are cheering for me" when she faces home favourite Lois Boisson in the Roland Garros semi-finals.
The second seed battled past her fellow American Madison Keys 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-1 in a tense last-eight clash littered with 14 double-faults and a whopping 101 unforced errors.
Advertisement
Gauff will have to face down a raucous crowd as well as her inspired opponent when she faces world number 361 Boisson in the last four on Thursday.
"I think there are two ways I have done it in the past. Either, A: just pretend they're cheering for you, and B: just using it and not letting that get to you," she told reporters.
Russian sixth seed Mirra Andreeva appeared to be affected by the atmosphere as she crumbled in her dramatic defeat by Boisson, losing the last six games and growing visibly frustrated.
But Gauff said she would be prepared for whatever reception she gets from the partisan home fans.
Advertisement
"I have been in crowds where they are 99 percent for me, so I don't have an issue with it," she said.
"I hope everyone will be respectful and things. If not, it's cool. I think, you know, it makes sports exciting, and I can't get irritated at the fact that someone is rooting for their hometown hero, because I would do the same.
"I think it's just something that I will mentally prepare for if it were to happen and expect and be ready for."
- Gauff shows fighting spirit -
Australian Open champion Keys came through a tense first set in a tie-break after blowing a 4-1 lead with a double-break, but Gauff upped her level enough to fight back.
Advertisement
The 21-year-old was the runner-up to Iga Swiatek in a one-sided showpiece match in 2022.
Keys had been hoping to challenge for back-to-back Grand Slam titles, but failed in her bid to secure a second semi-final appearance in Paris.
Gauff will be hoping to go at least one better than last year when she was beaten by Swiatek in the last four.
She has made a habit of pulling off comeback wins in her career so far, including in the 2023 US Open final against Aryna Sabalenka.
"I think just a love to win, the will to win," Gauff said when asked why she is comfortable coming from behind.
"I don't think sometimes it's not something that's taught or anything.
Advertisement
"It's just I have always had that in me, and not just in tennis but in everything. I'm a very competitive person.
"My philosophy is if I can just leave it all out there, then the loss will hurt a lot less than regrets of maybe not giving it your all."
Gauff will need to improve her game, especially her serve, ahead of the semi-finals after delivering 10 double-faults against Keys, including seven in the first set alone.
"It's something that I will always have to work on, but I'm glad I didn't let what happened in the tiebreaker earlier in the match affect the next two sets," added Gauff, who made three double-faults in the first-set tie-break.
She will have an unknown challenge ahead of her in the shape of Boisson, who had never played a top-10 opponent before defeating Jessica Pegula and 18-year-old Andreeva this week.
jc/nf
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
40 minutes ago
French Open: No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka faces No. 2 Coco Gauff in the women's final
PARIS -- No.1 Aryna Sabalenka faces No. 2 Coco Gauff in the French Open final on Saturday with both women aiming to win the title for the first time. Gauff lost the 2022 French Open final at age 18 but the American beat Sabalenka in the 2023 U.S. Open final, Gauff's only major so far. The 27-year-old Sabalenka, who is from Belarus, has won three majors but is appearing in her first French Open final. It is the first No. 1 vs. No. 2 final in Paris since 2013, when Serena Williams defeated Maria Sharapova, and just the second in the last 30 years. Sabalenka and Gauff have split their 10 previous matchups evenly, but Sabalenka won their most recent encounter, also on a clay court at the Madrid Open a month ago. ___
Business Insider
an hour ago
- Business Insider
How to watch French Open women's final: Free Sabalenka vs. Gauff live streams
The end of the French Open is in sight, and the women's world No. 1 and No. 2 will face off for the Grand Slam title. We'll show you everything you need to know about how to watch Sabalenka vs. Gauff, including free streaming French Open champion Iga Swiatek fell to Sabalenka in the semi-finals, ending her quest for a fourth consecutive title and paving the way for a new victor. Sabalenka is looking to add a fourth Grand Slam and her first French Open win to her list of accolades. Gauff has one singles Grand Slam and one doubles Grand Slam title, the latter of which came at last year's French Open. The pair last squared off at the Madrid Open final, a match that Sabalenka won in two you will find everything you need to know about tuning into the women's final, including global streaming options. Plus, we'll show you how to tune in from anywhere with the aid of a VPN. You can also use the same options for the men's final on TNT onThe French Open women's final live streams for free on in France and 9Now in Australia. If you're away from those regions at the moment, you can still access the streaming options with the help of a VPN (virtual private network). VPNs are handy tech tools that enable people to change their virtual location. They're popular apps among those looking to keep up with their usual websites while traveling abroad or enhance their is one of the best VPNs on the market, thanks to its impressive range of cybersecurity perks and user-friendly interface. Plus, the service comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Our ExpressVPN review breaks down everything you might need to know. With its consistent performance, reliable security, and expansive global streaming features, ExpressVPN is the best VPN out there, excelling in every spec and offering many advanced features that make it exceptional. Better yet, you can save more than 60% right now and get up to four months free. All the items below also have a free streaming option to be unlocked from anywhere with a VPN. Set it to the corresponding country, and you're all French Open women's final airs on France 2 in France, meaning viewers can live stream the match through the free live TV streaming service, If they don't already have a login, users just need to create an account with some basic information, and then they're all set to start Sabalenka vs. Gauff final match will air on TNT in the US. Viewers can live stream the match through a live TV streaming service like Sling TV or DirecTV, or the streaming app Max. Sling TV costs $46/month, but new users can get their first month for 50% off. The service comes with anywhere from 34 to 40+ live is a great option for those seeking a free trial. The MySports pack offers TNT and around 25 other popular sports channels in its lineup. Subscriptions cost $70/month, come with ESPN Plus thrown in, and new customers have a five-day free trial. For just the essentials without any extra fluff, Sling TV is the streaming service you're looking for. It's more customizable than other plans, with three options you can choose from, so you pay for only what you need. New members often get a chunky discount on their first month. Previously known as AT&T TV, DirecTV offers streaming access to a large selection of live channels, including most key networks typically found in traditional cable packages. Max, HBO's streaming counterpart, will also live stream the match through its B/R Sports Add-on, which carries live sports coverage from Warner Bros.-owned properties. This add-on is available with all ad-free tiers, which start at $17/ French Open women's final will be broadcast on TNT Sports in the UK. This means that UK viewers can live stream the match through Discovery Plus. Tennis fans will need to subscribe to the Premium tier, which costs £31/month. European viewers outside of the UK and France will most likely be able to stream the match through Sabalenka and Gauff showdown will air on Gem in Australia. Australian viewers can live stream the match on 9Now, a free streaming service. Users just need to create an account if they haven't already set one up, and then they're all set to start The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
NBC Sports
an hour ago
- NBC Sports
Judge approves landmark college sports settlement
The corrupt system of denying payment to college athletes has officially ended. On Friday, Judge Claudia Wilken approved the settlement of multiple antitrust class-action lawsuits that challenged the longstanding refusal of the NCAA and its members to compensate athletes. The deal includes $2.8 billion in payments to players over the past 10 years along with payments to players moving forward. This hardly ends the chaos currently consuming college sports. The major conferences have launched the College Sports Commission (which is different from the presidential commission that was under consideration for like a week) to regulate NIL collectives that have in many instances become pay-for-play programs. Here's the problem. Any collective action by independent businesses that restrict the earning capacity of the athletes potentially creates a fresh antitrust problem. Friday's settlement resolves (in theory) the manner in which the schools will directly compensate players. The NIL issue is separate. And it should be open season, thanks to the American system of free enterprise. That's why the colleges want the federal government to throw them a lifeline with legislation that would include an antitrust exemption. The only truly effective solution would come from creating a nationwide union and negotiating rules regarding key issues like compensation limits and transfer rights. With that, however, the players would have the ability to secure protections against, for instance, unlimited padded practices and a year-round schedule of intense workouts that leave the players with very little time to themselves — especially relative to pro athletes. So the settlemen isn't the end. It's more like the end of the beginning, with plenty more work to be done.
