C. GAUFF/I. Jovic
5-7, 7-5, 6-2
THE MODERATOR: Congratulations and welcome back to the quarterfinals. Your thoughts on that match?
COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it was a tough one. Yeah, it was a lot. I think moments I was playing good and she wasn't, and vice versa, she was playing good and I wasn't. It was really hard. I think the conditions made it tough to make some clean tennis. Really proud of how I was able to fight, yeah.
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Curious about how you're feeling down match point, one point away? Very brave on that point. How did you get back into that?
COCO GAUFF: I mean, honestly on that match point my head was almost, like, to the locker room, to be honest. I was like, Well, I'm going to hear a lot about this one (smiling).
Yeah, then after, I don't know, I was able to get through it. I think she maybe dropped a little bit her level when she had the lead. It was able to help me get back into the match.
Yeah, honestly I was thinking about my match in Dubai when I saved like five or six against Mertens. I was like, Maybe I can do it again today.
Q. Is being down match point something you ever do in practice, pretend, play the points out?
COCO GAUFF: No, I mean, obviously you try to emulate pressure as much as you can in practice. Nothing quite is the same as playing the match.
Honestly, yesterday my doubles we saved a match point, too. It was 13-11. I was a little bit more nervous for that than today. Maybe my doubles helped me in that aspect.
Q. I saw you speaking with your coach during the match. What are you expecting from your box during a match like this? How do they help you?
COCO GAUFF: Yeah, honestly I'm not someone who gets long talks from my coach that often. In that moment I felt like he just gave me the good advice.
Honestly, it wasn't like anything really crazy tactical. It was just sometimes when your mind is all over the place, it's just giving you the reminders of the things you need to continue to focus on and remember in those panic moments.
Yeah, it was just more reassurance.
Q. You said after your previous match that you've been dealing with something personal, but you find the beauty in showing up and competing. Do you have a method of compartmentalizing?
COCO GAUFF: At times I find like I can do a good job of being able to compartmentalize person, tennis and everything. But sometimes things mix.
Yeah, I wasn't really proud of the way I showed up in my last match. Today I was like, I'm not going to be like that. I thought I did a good job.
Obviously there's moments I did get negative. I'm not perfect. I'm a work in progress. I think today for the most part I thought I was really mentally sound. I think that's something to be proud of and be able to try to remember the next time I'm in a moment like that.
Q. Two matches that you came back after losing the first set. Now going forward, what will be your focus? What are you taking from those two matches, the way you fight back or disappointed that you started not so well?
COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, honestly the starts have been fine. My first round I was up a break. Today I was up a break in the first. I think I was up 3-1, 30-Love, too. I think for me it's more focusing on staying on top of the opponent when I do have the lead in the first set.
I think it's a learning experience. I'm not disappointed. I played two quality opponents, Eva being top 20. I'm not Jannik. I think I'm going to lose some sets.
Obviously the goal is to definitely start those matches... I guess I'm starting them fine, but continue to close out the first sets so I don't have to go three hours on the court.
Q. Not every city has as much to offer as Rome. I would like to know if you prefer a tournament which lasts one week where you only have time to go on tennis court, the hotel and back, or having two weeks where maybe one day you can see something else? You're young, you may enjoy also just restaurants or music. What would you prefer?
COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, I think it depends on the timing of things. I don't necessarily like playing the two-week tournaments back to back. Thankfully I was able to make it to the quarterfinals here. If you lose early here, it's like, Dang, what do you do?
I also do like having some days, I was able to walk around and take my mom to dinner for Mother's Day. It is nice to have the days in between. I think it's just a balance.
With the two weeks I feel like at the start of the year it's fine, and now it's fine, but you get to maybe before US Open, and it's like, Dang, I've been playing for four weeks and only played two tournaments. That's a thing.
I always appreciate each city I'm in and try to find something to see and do.
Q. Talking of doubles, how has it been with Caty?
COCO GAUFF: It's been great to be back with Caty. I need another match with her. I felt like the first match we played good. Moments she was playing good, then I wasn't playing so good. We need to find that chemistry again.
It's definitely, like, as far as a person and a player, she's doing great. I think she's playing great tennis. I've always thought highly of Caty on and off the court. It's very cool to be back playing doubles with her.
Maybe we can mix it in a little bit more and not have that time in between like we did this time.
Q. As someone who is obviously very ambitious, achieved a lot, how do you find the balance between putting pressure on yourself to achieve the things you want to achieve but not putting too much on yourself?
COCO GAUFF: Yeah, it's hard. I think I'm definitely on the other end of putting too much pressure. I feel like sometimes in sports you want more and more and more. At least at my age. Maybe later on I'll appreciate a little bit more.
I think sometimes I put maybe too much pressure on every single tournament because you want to win. I think now I've taken a step back and just realized that I'm not going to win every single tournament, and I just need to focus on the journey and the process.
I think the Grand Slams, losing in those, will always sting. But maybe not putting so much pressure on Rome and Madrid. At this point every tournament I play is a 1000 or a 500. They're all big tournaments. I think just putting less pressure on those tournaments, on myself, to save my mind a little bit (smiling).
Q. Just to find out the way you are. Do you like to go back to a nice place that you discovered one year ago, two years ago, or you prefer to look for something new that you have never seen? Faithful to the first choice or want to try a new one?
COCO GAUFF: I'm not afraid of trying new things. I'm someone that will do new things. I don't know, if I really like a place, I'll go back. I already went back to this one restaurant twice. I was going to go again yesterday, but my mom was like, Let's change it up.
I think I'm both. There's nothing wrong with familiarity. I'm also one not to knock a new experience either.
Thank you.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports