‘You’ve won in life’ – Coco Gauff reveals TikTok-inspired philosophy motivates her for US Open defense

Coco Gauff has breezed through to the second round of the US Open – with the defending champion insisting it’s all thanks to TikTok.

The 20-year-old has struggled of late, having been knocked out at Wimbledon and the Paris Olympics in the fourth and third rounds respectively.

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Gauff, who became the first American teenager since Serena Williams to triumph at Flushing Meadows, also crashed early in Cincinnati and Toronto.

But she showed her class in her first-round win over Varvara Gracheva at Arthur Ashe Stadium – wrapping up a 6-2, 6-0 victory in just 66 minutes.

And the world number three has revealed that a message on TikTok from a fan changed her perspective, taking the pressure off her and instead giving her the motivation and confidence she needs.

The Georgia native said: “Someone commented on my TikTok and said, ‘You’ve won at life, literally and figuratively, and there’s no point in putting pressure on yourself to take a victory lap.'”

“I look at this tournament like that. If you defend something, it means you’ve won something.

“If you did it, that means you can do it again.

“So whether I do it again this year or not, I will do it again, whether it’s 2024 or not, I will do it again.”

Gauff continued: “If I had played last week, I would have felt like it would be really tough, but my perspective has changed a lot in seven days.

“I was just trying to enjoy the game. I enjoyed it today and it was obviously simple.

“But even if it was tighter, these are moments we live for.

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“I’m just happy to be back on that field and playing like I used to.

“I know the last few weeks have been a bit difficult and I think this is the best tennis I’ve played in a while.

Before her dip in form, Gauff had reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and Roland Garros.

She even won her first Grand Slam doubles title at Roland Garros in June alongside partner Katerina Siniakova.

And you wouldn’t be surprised if the youngster reaches the semi-finals in New York as she seeks to become the first woman to defend her title since Williams in 2014.

Gauff will face German veteran Tatjana Maria in the second round on Wednesday.