COCO GAUFF says the reason she broke down in tears on court last week was due to a panic attack.
But the highest-paid female sportswomen in the world has taken counsel from gymnastics legend Simone Biles about how to deal with the pressures of being the home-town star.
Coco Gauff broke down in tears on court at the US Open last week[/caption]
The American superstar revealed she suffered a panic attack[/caption]
As the American, 21, struggled with her serve and saw the double-fault count rise in the second-round win over Donna Vekic last Thursday, she sat in her chair and began to sob under a towel.
The waterworks flowed even more post match as she was interviewed on court – a surprising state of affairs for something so high profile and famous.
It now transpires that Gauff – who is trying to fix her wayward serve MID-Slam – was suffering from the stress and anxiety of elite competition.
Gauff revealed, “It was a panic attack.
“I’ve had them before off court but it was the first time that happened to me on the court.
“So, for me I was just trying to calm myself down and just breathe in the moment and that was why I went to the bathroom after that first set to reset.
“It was one of those moments where I just wanted to get off the court right now and have it be over with.
“But for me I needed that to happen because I think the support that I got afterwards, I just realised how much people love me.
“How much I should love myself, too, in those moments.
“So I think it was a learning experience and I’ll remember it for the rest of my career and just know that there’s a lot more to be grateful for than losing on a court.”
In a blockbuster showdown, Gauff now faces Naomi Osaka – a two-time New York champion – for the first time in this event since their 2019 meeting.
Back then Gauff, just 15 years old, lost in the third round to the Japan ace and then started to cry uncontrollably after the 6-3 6-0 rout.
In a wonderful moment of sportsmanship, Osaka, 27, went over and comforted the Florida-based teen with a hug, inviting her to partake in the winner’s on-court interview, instead of “crying in the shower.”
Ahead of this latest clash, Gauff has spoken to Biles – the seven-time Olympic gold medallist – about her own torments in sport, most notably the twisties she experienced during the Tokyo Games.
Gauff, the world No.3, said, “We got to speak after the match more than what some of the cameras have shown. We got to speak for like 15 minutes.
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The 2025 US Open takes place from Sunday 24 August to Sunday 7 September.
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“She was just giving me a lot of advice. She was telling me to go out there and enjoy it and just be calm in the moments, reminding myself to fuel my tank.
“I was like a sponge trying to absorb whatever she said.
“I met her at the Olympics but we just didn’t have the right moment to speak about the depths of things of being an athlete.
“Probably she’s someone that deals with pressure at the highest stage of pretty much any athlete, especially doing what she has to do.
“So, I was really lucky to have that conversation with her and it’s definitely something I’m going to use for the rest of my time here and career in general.”
