Gauff tempers Canadian Open expectations after Paris Olympics

By Sports Desk August 08, 2024

Coco Gauff is not expecting to win the Canadian Open as she manages the transition from clay to hard courts following the Olympics. 

Gauff fell short of a medal last month, losing to Donna Vekic in the singles while bowing out of the mixed and women's doubles with Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz. 

The world number two is one of the headline names at the WTA event in Toronto after a number of high-profile players, including world number one Iga Swiatek and Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, dropped out.

Her opening game of the tournament sees her face Yafan Wang, however, Gauff has tempered expectations as she prepares to defend her US Open crown at Flushing Meadows.

"I am not going into this expecting to win or anything. That would be great and it's the goal, but being realistic I was on clay three days ago," Gauff said. 

"I'm just trying to use this to see where I am and what I need to do to get ready for the US Open."

After her frustration in Paris, Gauff will have to wait another four years to win an Olympic medal, but has the comfort of the next Games being held on home soil in Los Angeles.  

And despite suffering disappointment in all three Olympic disciplines (singles, doubles and mixed doubles) this year at Roland-Garros, the American put her name forward to compete across the board again in 2028. 

"I would still do all three [events] again if that’s a possibility in '28," Gauff said. 

"I mean it's four years from now, I'll be 24, so I will still be on the healthier and younger side of things, and especially if the draw size for mixed is that small, I feel like that's one everyone wants to play.

"I had a great experience, from not being able to go to Tokyo to being able to go here, I just feel like LA, I'll hopefully be on the podium.

"I just feel like that's what my life consists of, having a disappointing result and then the next time is the best thing in the world."

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