An interview with:
COCO GAUFF
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Curious first and foremost what your preparation has been like since the US Open. What have you been up to and what has been the focus ahead of this swing?
COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I got to take a break. Then I've just been training in Florida. Yeah, I guess the focus is really just building for next year and treating this part of the swing kind of as a pre-season almost, which I did that last year. Ended up being successful, so we'll see.
Yeah, I think at this point of the year it's always just looking to how to get better for next year.
Q. Obviously last year you had an outstanding debut to the tournament. Curious what your thoughts were of the experience the first time playing Beijing. How much does that prepare you for now coming back and playing it again? What are you looking forward to?
COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I mean, honestly last year I don't remember much about how I felt on court. I think it was just like the end of the year. I was just match by match. I was just happy to continue.
But yeah, the things I remember the most are things I did off court. I did the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, which was really cool. This year, I don't know, we might go for a temple.
I've been struggling with sleeping: sleeping too much because of the jet lag, but we'll see. I've always had a great time here. The fans here are super sweet. Yesterday I think I've gotten 15 or 20 gifts and it's only been, like, one day here. I'm sure I'm going to get more during the tournament. I really appreciate how kind the fans are here.
Q. Obviously in New York a lot of the talk was about the biomechanics coach and that stuff. How much did you take from a learning perspective in US Open of how that dynamic is going to be for you and him, and how has it carried into the prep here? And is he here with you?
COCO GAUFF: I'm still working with Gavin, but he's not here because we started last minute so he had other plans for this part of the year. We'll be working with each other right when I get home from here.
But it was a good learning experience. For me it was a tough challenge I think mentally more so than anything just, like, kind of losing trust in a lot of things, trying to find that in that tournament.
But I really do think that it gives me confidence for the future. I mean, second week kind of having some really low moments on court. So I'm looking forward to now feeling refreshed and happy, feeling like I can trust myself all over again and see how do with this mindset.
Q. You spoke last year, and years past, because you've obviously done well after US Open, just kind of the burden of slam season being lifted. Do you feel the same way?
COCO GAUFF: Yeah, definitely. Yeah, I mean, for me, I don't know why, it just feels different at the end of the year. Although technically I'm defending champion, but it doesn't feel like that at all.
I don't want to say 'not care' because obviously I'm not playing a tournament and trying to lose or anything. But yeah, there is definitely a weight that you kind of just don't care in a way, especially when you've had like a good moment of the season.
I think winning French Open helped me take that weight off less. I think last year I did care, but maybe I felt a little bit like I had to do something, because I hadn't won a big title at that point, at that time of the year yet.
I don't know how I feel right now. I feel definitely a lot lighter. It feels, again, like a practice tournament. So we'll see how it goes.
Q. You said most of your memories from last year were more off court. There's a lot of people who haven't had a chance to come to Beijing and experience it. Could you talk a little bit about that. Why did it leave such an impression on you?
COCO GAUFF: Well, the first thing was the Great Wall. I thought that was one of the most incredible things I've ever seen in person. Especially when you look at how long ago it was built. So that was really cool.
The Forbidden City, I would like to do it again, the full experience. I only did it, like, 25 minutes with Carlos. He came late, so it got cut short. I didn't do it that much (smiling).
I think the culture is really cool and very different from anything. Being from a country like the U.S., which is considered way younger than China. I think visiting a country with so much history behind it is really cool, just learning about the different dynasties, how everything is kind of intertwined, which we don't really have that in the U.S. because it is so much a melting pot, whereas here it's not so.
I think it's really cool just to do a deep dive. I would say if you're interested, really try duck here, it's really good, and go to the Forbidden City and some of the temples. I'm not a Beijing expert, but I had a great time and I definitely recommend people to try.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports