By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Monday, October 30, 2023
Don't let her charming smile fool you: Coco Gauff is already creating a nightmare in Cancun.
The 19-year-old Gauff showed killer instinct scoring a gripping 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 triumph over Aryna Sabalenka to capture her maiden major title at the US Open.
Sabalenka: Only the Beginning
Gauff is channeling cinematic serial killer—Freddy Krueger—in her WTA Finals return in singles and doubles.
The US Open champion has a passion for Halloween and persuaded (read: strong-armed) her family to dress as famous film serial killers with Coco Gauff opting to dress as the menacing man from A Nightmare on Elm Street.
"Your worst nightmare," Gauff captioned her Krueger-themed Instagram post.
My favorite Halloween costume I've done as a family was a Scooby-Doo one a couple years ago. I thought that was pretty cool. For me, I did like the moon -- I don't know. I think I did Thor a while ago, and Raven last year was really cool. Then Freddy Krueger was obviously last minute. My brother wanted to be Chucky for Halloween. I said, We should all be fictional serial killers, and that's what we did."
Weeks after her Flushing Meadows dream run, Gauff is in full nightmare mode in Cancun.
While several players have said the blustery Cancun conditions can create unpredictable—and sometimes unsightly—tennis, Gauff is trying to look on the bright side of the bluster.
The Delray Beach-born baseliner is hoping a lifetime of training amid the windy, humidity of Florida can help prepare her for Cancun.
The primary focus, Gauff said, will be to accept the chaotic conditions as part of the challenge, move her feet fast and attack the ball to reduce wind-blown errors.
"I think the most important thing is just how you respond mentally, accepting it for what it is," Gauff said. "You're going to miss some, you're going to make some. You're going to win some points because of luck, because of the wind, and you're also going to lose some.
"Obviously just moving your feet as much as possible, trying to arrive to the ball as early as I can. I think those are the keys that I think will matter the most this week."
For the second straight season, Gauff and partner Jessica Pegula qualified for the season-ending event in singles and doubles. Pointing to to the fact four American men cracked the Top 15 for the first time since 1997 this month, the US Open champion says American tennis is an a fantastic place.
"The state of American tennis is outstanding," Gauff told the media in Cancun. "Not to shade the men, but it's actually even on both sides. I'm really, really happy with how both the men and women players are doing. Have a lot of players in the top 30 on both sides. That's just super exciting.
"With Lindsay [Davenport] being the [new U.S.] captain, I think that's a really cool new addition to the Billie Jean King Cup team. I've met her a couple times. I haven't really spoken tennis with her yet, but I'm really excited to see what I can learn from her. Hopefully I can be a good player under her leadership."
Photo credit: Coco Gauff Instagram