Several fans disapproved of Coco Gauff's response to her haters' criticism following her 2024 China Open victory. Many of them advised the American to concentrate on her game instead.
After a disappointing run at the 2024 US Open, Coco Gauff made a strong comeback, kicking off her Asian swing with a victory at the 2024 China Open. The American defeated Clara Burel, Katie Boulter, Naomi Osaka, Yulia Starodubtseva, and Paula Badosa on her way to the final of the WTA 1000 tournament.
Gauff then defeated Karolina Muchova 6-1, 6-3 to secure her second title of the season. She also became the first American woman since Serena Williams to win the China Open.
Gauff, who had previously won the WTA 250 event in Auckland in January, celebrated her triumph with a subtle dig at her critics. She shared a photo of her China Open trophy with her victory poster in the background on her Instagram story and wrote:
"She only wins 250s, Well... Whomp Whomp."
Her story was later shared by a fan on Reddit.
However, several fans criticized Gauff's actions, with one advising her to concentrate on the positive attention she receives rather than her critics.
"Idk why she’s obsessed with her haters. She easily gets the most positive press and has a huge fan base," the fan wrote.
In response, a fan argued that Coco Gauff isn't "obsessed" with her critics, saying she acknowledges them rather than ignoring their existence.
"She’s not “obsessed.” She simply acknowledges it from time to time instead of pretending it doesn’t exist," they wrote.
"She’s already won a slam. Why does she even care about the “she only wins 250s” haters???" Another commented.
Here are a few more reactions from the fans:
"She needs to calm down on her haters. Every interview is always about who’s against her. Just clam down, play tennis, and enjoy life, girl," a fan chimed in.
"there is a level of accomplishment past which it becomes embarrassing to pay this much attention to *+°#the haters#°+*. Coco has passed that level, in my opinion," a fan said.
"Halloween Hello Kitty silently curses her haters as well," another commented.
Coco Gauff boasts an impressive 7-0 record in hardcourt finals, a feat unprecedented in the Open Era, thanks to her victory at the China Open.
"Honestly, it means a lot": Coco Gauff on becoming the first American woman to win the China Open after Serena Williams
Coco Gauff expressed her excitement about becoming the first American woman since Serena Williams to win the China Open. She acknowledged the importance of breaking records and hopes that someone else will surpass her achievement.
"That's pretty cool, I hope somebody else breaks it. I think records are meant to be broken. Honestly, it means a lot when I saw that the last American woman to win this was Serena Williams. Anytime my name is mentioned in whatever sentence hers is, it's a huge honor," she said (via WTA).
Gauff now boasts an impressive 8-1 win-loss record in tour-level finals, with her only defeat occurring at the 2022 French Open against World No. 1 Iga Swiatek. The American will next focus on the Wuhan Open, beginning her campaign on Tuesday, October 8.