The victories and losses of tennis players are often magnified under the lens of social media. Coco Gauff found herself in a similar situation facing harsh criticism after her defeat to Iga Swiatek at the 2023 China Open. However, amidst the online negativity, an unexpected ally came to her rescue in the form of Serena Williams’ former coach.
Swiatek’s impressive performance in the semifinals of the WTA 1000 event led to a 6-2, 6-3 defeat for Gauff. She had only recently celebrated her first victory over Swiatek in the North American swing and now faced her eighth loss to the Polish player in nine encounters. The defeat brought forth a wave of criticism on social media directed at the 19-year-old tennis sensation.
Emphatic Iga 🧙@iga_swiatek snaps Gauff’s 16-match winning streak in Beijing to reach her eighth WTA 1000 final! #ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/3LmfqTLaB4
— wta (@WTA) October 7, 2023
It was in this moment that the former coach of Serena Williams, Rennae Stubbs, who is an experienced figure in the world of tennis, voiced her frustration. She took issue with the negative comments hurled at young players by anonymous profiles, highlighting their lack of experience with the immense pressure that comes with professional tennis.
In a passionate social media post, Stubbs addressed these unknown losers for their defeatist attitude. She said, “The crap I read on Twitter…People commenting on Coco being this or that as well as other players…you people think you’re tough writing as an unknown loser who puts a player down but has never put themselves out there in these kinds of moments!”
The crap i read on Twitter is 🤯! People commenting on Coco being this or that as well as other players. Like seriously u people think you’re tough writing as an unknown loser who puts a player down but have never put themselves out there in these kinds of moments! 🤯 get a life!
— Rennae Stubbs 🟦👍🏼 (@rennaestubbs) October 7, 2023
Coco Gauff’s journey in professional tennis has been nothing short of remarkable. In the face of criticism, her spirits has never diminished. The support from someone like Rennae Stubbs serves as a shining example of the importance of encouraging young talents like Gauff and others.
Coco Gauff remains upbeat despite her loss at the China Open
Coco Gauff, the 19-year-old tennis sensation, experienced her first defeat since the quarter-finals in Montreal. Her remarkable journey had included winning 16 consecutive matches, claiming titles at the Cincinnati Masters and the US Open, and reaching the semifinals at the China Open. However, Iga Swiatek put an end to this impressive streak with a convincing 6-2, 6-3 victory in Beijing.
After the match, Gauff reflected on her recent performances and expressed pride in her achievements. She shared her aspirations for the future and said, “Hopefully next year I can continue this consistency, maybe not 16 in a row on a consistent level, but as long as I can string along some wins, 1000 title wins, and hopefully a grand slam would be a great goal for me.”
Coco Gauff says she might not win 16 matches in a row next year, but hopes to win another Grand Slam:
“I’m really proud of myself. Hopefully next year I can continue this consistency, maybe not 16 in a row on a consistent level, but as long as I can string along some wins, 1000… pic.twitter.com/CTi7evuSy9
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) October 7, 2023
Gauff’s recent successes have marked a turning point in her career, with a historic grand slam win at the US Open and a winning streak that drew comparisons to the legendary Serena Williams in 1999, Looking ahead, the world no. 3 is set to participate in the season-ending WTA finals, an elite tournament featuring the world’s top 8 women players
