Coco Gauff broke down in tears throughout an emotional press convention following her shock exit from the Australian Open on the last-16 stage on Sunday.
The 18-year-old often cuts a composed determine below the glare of the world’s media, regardless of her tender age.
But all of it turned an excessive amount of when requested in regards to the frustration she felt throughout her 7-5 6-3 fourth-round defeat to Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion.
“I worked really hard and I felt really good coming into the tournament, and I still feel good,” Gauff advised reporters.
“I still feel like I’ve improved a lot. But, you know, when you play a player like her and she plays really well, it’s like there’s nothing you can do.”
The prodigiously proficient American, who should now wait at the least a bit longer for a primary main crown, added: “I feel like today I would say nothing because every match you play a part in, but I feel like it was rough.
“So it’s a little bit frustrating on that part.”
Her voice instantly started to crack, the tears flowed and {the teenager} was provided a tissue, earlier than saying: “I’m OK. We can keep going.”
Gauff gathered herself to say she would now be supporting her doubles accomplice Jessica Pegula, who was later taking part in one other former French Open champion, Barbora Krejcikova, for a spot within the final eight.
“I hope that she continues well in the tournament now that I’m out,” Gauff smiled. “I hope she wins it.”
Gauff and Pegula, the ladies’s doubles second seeds, will play for a spot within the quarter-finals Monday towards Miyu Kato of Japan and Aldila Sutjiadi of Indonesia.
“I’m excited to play doubles. I think it gives me a chance to still be around and I definitely enjoy just competing in general,” stated Gauff.
“So I think it will help me (get over defeat), just let me play with some frustration.
“I think doubles has taught me how to play, after losing, how to play with frustration, and that’s what I felt like today. I was frustrated.”
