{"id":8325,"date":"2023-01-17T06:52:02","date_gmt":"2023-01-17T06:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/coco-gauffs-column-on-emma-raducanes-play-boxing-and-friendship-building-at-the-australian-open\/"},"modified":"2023-01-17T06:52:02","modified_gmt":"2023-01-17T06:52:02","slug":"coco-gauffs-column-on-emma-raducanes-play-boxing-and-friendship-building-at-the-australian-open","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/atswins.ai\/blog\/coco-gauffs-column-on-emma-raducanes-play-boxing-and-friendship-building-at-the-australian-open\/","title":{"rendered":"Coco Gauff’s column on Emma Raducane’s play, boxing and friendship-building at the Australian Open"},"content":{"rendered":"

[ad_1]
\n<\/p>\n

\"Coco<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Coco Gauff, who rose to fame in 2019 at age 15 by reaching the last 16 at Wimbledon, is the latest WTA Tour player to write a column for BBC Sports. <\/em><\/p>\n

\n

In her second installment at the Australian Open, the American No. 7 seed discusses Wednesday’s blockbuster second-round match against Great Britain’s Emma Radukhanu.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Playing against a Grand Slam champion like Emma Radukhanu early in a Grand Slam isn’t ideal, but as my dad always said, ‘To be the best, you have to beat the best. I have to.”<\/span><\/p>\n

To follow in Emma’s footsteps and win the Slam, we’ve added a new activity to our pre-season training: Boxing.<\/span><\/p>\n

My fitness trainer wanted me to do some boxing to improve my balance, so I went to a gym near where I live in Florida.<\/span><\/p>\n

I’m not a fighter – although I’ve trained with Mike Tyson in the past. If someone comes up and hits me, I’m out with the first punch!<\/span><\/p>\n

Pre-season training was in a proper gym where professional fighters train, and whenever they came to watch, I would yell, “Yeah, my tennis tournament.” like. <\/span><\/p>\n

I didn’t want them to think this girl was trash and would yell! I wanted them to know that this wasn’t what I was doing. <\/span><\/p>\n

Some of them knew who I was – and I put on my tennis gear and made the point – but I want them to know I’m not cut out for this. I thought. <\/span><\/p>\n

They were very nice people, but they were a little intimidating at first and looked at me. I was like, ‘Guys, I’m not doing this, I’m playing tennis. I am the furthest away from this sport.<\/span><\/p>\n

Our boxing instructor is a martial artist and said he had improved in the three weeks he was with him. <\/span><\/p>\n

When he told me I had improved, I looked so bad at first that I was like, ‘Finally it does.’<\/span><\/p>\n

I also worked with my brother Codey, so I had a good bond with him. He thinks he’s a fighter, so I had fun beating him! <\/span><\/p>\n

Adding other sports makes preseason more fun. Having grown up playing multiple sports, including basketball, gymnastics, and track, I wanted to get back to my roots and try different things. <\/span><\/p>\n

Besides boxing, I also did swimming. For me, swimming is one of the things that exhausts me the most.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can run forever and do many things forever, but swimming feels like it’s over in two laps.<\/span><\/p>\n

So my fitness coach Stefan has been trying to find another way to tire me out and do some extra cardio because my heart rate doesn’t stay high for long. <\/span><\/p>\n

Hopefully, I will be in this game for another 20 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

Preseason is an opportunity for that, and a fun way to get things done. I think that’s what we found this preseason.<\/span><\/p>\n

It was really hard, but it was nice to be away from the court and the gym. <\/span><\/p>\n

Why I think finding friends on tour is important<\/h3>\n

You might think I was jealous or envious of Emma winning the U.S. Open at such a young age. It wasn’t. More than anything, it was inspiring.<\/span><\/p>\n

I can relate to jumping into the scene and dealing with the pressure that ensued, but I think it’s nowhere near the level of attention that Emma has received.<\/span><\/p>\n

After beating Katerina Siniakova in the first round in Melbourne, I went online and found myself playing Emma. I think she’s had an incredible career so far and is still finding her way with her tours. <\/span><\/p>\n

She’s my age, so I always try to reach out.When she suffered an ankle injury in Auckland, I reached out to see how she was doing.<\/span><\/p>\n

I always try to pay attention to the people on my tours. She thinks Emma has a great head and she’s doing very well. <\/span><\/p>\n

We really didn’t get a chance to talk about things other than tennis, common interests, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n

Most of the time she’s in a tournament and is about to go to practice, come back from practice, or compete in a game. It’s hard to really participate in those conversations, and I don’t spend time with her outside the court. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"Coco<\/span><\/span>
Coco Gauff won six titles in doubles with her best friend Jessica Pegula last season. These two are among the favorites to win the women’s singles at Melbourne Park.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I think it’s important to have friends on tour because you’ll be around them every week. These are also your colleagues.<\/span><\/p>\n

You don’t want them to hate you and you don’t want them to hate you. Who wants to be with hateful people every week?<\/span><\/p>\n

My best friends are Caty McNally, Jessica Pegula, Christopher Eubanks and Taylor Townsend. Mostly Americans I know and get along with. <\/span><\/p>\n

We have a fun group and support each other. That’s what I’m looking for the most. Someone who genuinely wants to see you doing well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Of course, there are a lot of players, so you can’t be friends with everyone. Playing against friends can be weird. I remember playing Jess in Dubai and it was a horrible match.<\/span><\/p>\n

I talk to Emma a lot, but I wouldn’t call her my best friend. <\/span><\/p>\n

But no matter who you play against, whether it’s a friend or a Grand Slam champion, you need to block someone on the other side of the net. That’s what I have to do on Wednesday.<\/span><\/p>\n

Coco Gauff was speaking with BBC Sport’s Jonathan Jureiko at Melbourne Park.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"gray<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Coco’s previous column from Melbourne<\/h3>\n

\"gray<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n