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Reigning US Open champion Coco Gauff recently revealed that setting new targets after achieving older ones has been her key to staying motivated and focused.
Third seed Gauff faced off against sixth seed Maria Sakkari in the quarterfinals of the 2023 China Open. The American beat the Greek in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4 in Beijing, extending her unbeaten streak to 16 consecutive victories.
During the post-match press conference, Coco Gauff said was unsure of her mindset after winning the 2023 US Open but admitted that she is proud of the way she has performed since.
"When you arrive with a little less expectations - and I had no expectations in terms of results either - you do better than you expected. I wasn't sure what my mindset was going to be after the US Open. I knew I'd be motivated, but I hoped I wouldn't try to watch the WTA Finals instead," Gauff said.
"I feel like I've done a good job playing every game no matter what and without throwing in the towel, that's why I'm proud," she added.
Coco Gauff reflected she had already achieved her goal for the season when she won her first Major and also revealed how she lost some motivation after that. She further said that one must set new goals after achieving old ones, and that is the key to staying motivated.
"Although I achieved my goal for this season, I feel like I might have lost some motivation. When you achieve your goals, you simply set new ones. I think that's what I did right, setting new goals and finding something else to motivate me to achieve them," the 19-year-old said.
"It probably won't be an easy game, it will be tight" - Iga Swiatek looks forward to SF clash with Coco Gauff at China Open
Second seed Iga Swiatek will face third seed Coco Gauff in the semifinals of the 2023 China Open, on Saturday (October 7). Leading up to the clash, Swiatek defeated ninth seed Caroline Garcia 6-7(8-10), 7-6(5), 6-1 in the quarterfinals in Beijing.
During the post-match press conference, Swiatek was asked about her thoughts on playing Coco Gauff. The Pole said that although she has not seen the 19-year-old as much, she is aware of her calibre and is ready for a proper battle in the upcoming semifinal.
"I haven't seen her [Gauff] much, but I'm aware of what she's doing. I also know how she plays, what has improved and what has changed. I'll use that information and not overanalyze it too much because I think we're both good players. Now we just have to fight and it probably won't be an easy game, it will be tight," the former World No. 1 said.
The two have met eight times on the tour, with the most recent meeting taking place at the 2023 Western & Southern Open. The American defeated the Pole in a three-set thriller on home soil, 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-4, to proceed to the final, where she eventually won the title.
