Gauff feeling 'really optimistic' as she looks to end clay title drought

Coco Gauff says she is feeling “really optimistic” for the clay season and now feels like a “contender” in every tournament she plays.

The world No. 3 has enjoyed success in the past on clay, reaching her first Grand Slam final in 2022 at the French Open, where she also won the title as a junior.

However, it has been three years since she won the only clay title of her professional career at the Emilia-Romagna Open.

Gauff is looking to put that right as she starts her 2024 clay swing in Stuttgart this week.

“For the clay court season this year, I’m really optimistic,” she said.

“Obviously the goal is to win French Open, but that’s every season of any top player. Your goals should be to try to win the big tournament.

“But I’m not looking at French Open right now. I’m focused on Stuttgart. I want to try to win Madrid or Rome or here. The last time I won a clay-court title was a couple years ago if I’m not mistaken, so I kind of just want to get a recent clay title under my belt.

“So any of the ones along the next couple weeks would be nice.”

Gauff will start her Stuttgart campaign against fellow American Sachia Vickery.

“I’m always feeling confident about myself,” added Gauff.

“Especially after the US Open, I can be a contender. Semifinal in Australia, losing to Aryna who ended up winning.

“I feel like I’m definitely a contender in all the tournaments, and it just comes down to the crunch-time moments and who can perform better.”

Gauff has added to her coaching team ahead of the Stuttgart Open.

Former coach Jean-Cristophe Faurel, who first worked with Gauff at the age of 14, has joined to work alongside Brad Gilbert.

The previous partnership between Gauff and Faurel ended on good terms in 2020.

“It actually wasn’t either of our choices to stop working together,” said Gauff.

“He was having visa issues and couldn’t get into the US for a long time, a couple years. So once he got that all figured out and it became a perfect opportunity and the timing worked to be back together, I knew when we had stopped I always wanted to go back to him when all of that stuff got sorted.

“It’s nice to have someone on my team that knows me since I was young and knows me well. So I’m really, really excited to have him back on the team.

“I’m glad that the government let us be together again!”

Gauff could face fifth seed Qinwen Zheng if she wins her opening match.