Coco Gauff arrived in Beijing this year not just as defending champion — but carrying the invisible weight of expectations, scrutiny, and a season’s worth of highs and painful lows. Her recent semi-final collapse against Amanda Anisimova (dropping 6-1, 6-2 in just 58 minutes) was brutal. But instead of retreating into silence, Coco did something raw, honest, and entirely human — and in doing so, she showed why her off-court mindset might be her real victory.
💥 The Crushing Defeat
After a strong run — including a straight-sets win over Eva Lys to reach the semis again at the China Open — Gauff was dismantled by Anisimova. The match never really felt competitive. Anisimova steamrolled to 5-0 leads in both sets and closed it out in under an hour. For a player who defended the China Open crown, this was a startling fall.
🔍 The Confession That Broke The Silence
In her post-match interview, Gauff did more than analyze the loss. She admitted the pressure of defending a major title, of being seen as “the one to beat,” had been mounting like a storm she couldn’t ignore. She revealed that despite being technically the defending champ, this year it doesn’t feel like that at all.
She said she was treating the China Open more like a “practice tournament” — something to rebuild confidence rather than defend legacy. “It feels a lot lighter… I think winning the French Open helped me take the weight off a bit,” she confessed.
💔 Mind Games and Serving Slumps
Add tension with opponents, whispered criticisms on social media (especially about “only winning 250-level tournaments”), coupled with bouts of low confidence on her serve — it’s been a rough stretch. In an exchange on court with Belinda Bencic, words were fired. “You’re too old for mind games,” Gauff snapped. Emotions flared. Setbacks piled up. But she made clear: this kind of fire fuels her, even when everything seems stacked against her.
🌱 The Rebirth She’s Charting
Here’s the twist — unlike many who crumble, Gauff’s embracing the cracks. She’s leaning into being lighter, letting go of some expectations, and using every criticism as a spark. Her plan? Use the rest of her late season as prep for 2026, restoring her serve, mindset, and joy.
Her fashion choices, her social media comebacks, her sharp retorts — they’re all facets of a woman figuring out that tennis is what she does, not who she is. Her response to trolls (“She only wins 250s … WOMP WOMP”) was cheeky but loaded: defiance wrapped in self-belief.
