World No. 4 Coco Gauff is set to begin her Dubai Open campaign on Tuesday. The 21-year-old is aiming to regain consistency on court after a disappointing Australian swing and a first-round exit at the Qatar Open. Gauff’s opponent in the round of 32 clash on Tuesday night at the Dubai Open has yet to be determined.
Ahead of the tournament, the defending Roland Garros champion held a press conference to answer questions about her game and form. In one of her responses to a question about why many players fail to perform well on the Middle East swing, Gauff admitted she is reconsidering playing at these two tournaments next year.
“I think it’s being so close to Australia. I know some players live here, but a lot of players live in Europe or the U.S. I think the biggest struggle is obviously you’re in Australia for, like, a month. Some people even more. You want to go home. You go home. Yeah, you basically have to leave and come back here and get adjusted all over again,” Gauff said.
“For me personally, Doha was a bit slower, but here it’s a bit faster. I think I could struggle a little bit with that. Yeah, maybe the transition after Australia might be tough for some players,” she added.
“I know some players decided to miss these two tournaments, which maybe in the future, depending on how I feel, is something I’ll consider because there’s no point in me coming if I’m going to keep losing first round. Yeah, I’m going to have to figure out the right balance for me, coming to Dubai to give me an extra week,” Gauff concluded.
Coco Gauff Had an Ineteresting Response to the Playing Conditions in the Middle East
In her pre-tournament press conference, Gauff was asked to reflect on the playing conditions in the Middle East. The two-time Grand Slam champion gave an intriguing answer, stating that the tennis balls feel heavier during tournaments in Qatar and Dubai.
“I mean, definitely the balls feel heavier in Doha just because of the climate, I think. I think it’s normal. I played with the balls, Australian Open balls, the whole pre-season. They still feel different in Australia. I think it’s just the climate,” Gauff said.
“But they’re using the same balls as Australia, which I think is good because we’re changing balls all the time. I think they can’t help the climate, or how it affects the balls. I would like to see more consistency on tour when it comes to balls,” she added.
After Dubai, all the top names in women’s tennis will compete at the highly coveted Indian Wells WTA 1000 event, starting on March 2.
Also read:
Ben Shelton’s Sister Emma Sends Rare Message After American Hits 0,000 Bounty With Dallas Open Title
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
