Coco Gauff laid bare her thoughts on the “drama” that’s unfolded so far at the ongoing 2025 US Open, with Daniil Medvedev and Jelena Ostapenko most notably making headlines for all the wrong reasons. According to Gauff, the tense situations and heated exchanges at the hardcourt Major are talked about more compared to other tournaments because of the presence of a high number of casual tennis fans in New York.
Speaking to reporters after her dominant 6-3, 6-1 third-round win over Magdalena Frech at Flushing Meadows on Saturday, August 30, the two-time singles Slam champion said:
“I think, to be honest, like, with some of the drama, I feel like it happens frequently on tour, but because it’s here, it gets more social media clicks. But some of the players, these are reoccurring things that us in the tennis world, it’s not surprising.”
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Coco Gauff went on to suggest that the dramatic moments that have been produced at this year's US Open keep happening across different tournaments and that tennis players like herself are used to it.
"So it's like, okay, whatever. But because it's here in New York and maybe not as many tennis fans or things like that, it gets blown up on social media. But I think for us players, it's just like another week on tour," the WTA No. 3 added.
At the New York Major this year, former champion Daniil Medvedev crashed out from the men's singles event in the first round. The Russian was involved in several controversial moments during his ill-fated first-round outing, such as clashing with chair umpire Greg Allensworth, rallying the crowd behind him to boo not just the umpire but also opponent Benjamin Bonzy, and then obliterating his racket following his loss.
On the women's side, Jelena Ostapenko notoriously questioned home hope Taylor Townsend about the latter's 'class' and 'education'. This particular moment came in the aftermath of the Latvian's second-round defeat at the hands of the American. Ostapenko was subsequently accused of being racist, with the Latvian vehemently denying the accusations.
Coco Gauff stood firmly by compatriot Taylor Townsend after American's controversial exchange with Jelena Ostapenko at US Open
When asked about her thoughts on the tense exchange between Jelena Ostapenko and Taylor Townsend at the 2025 US Open, Coco Gauff sided with her compatriot. While Gauff acknowledged that whatever Ostapenko said was probably a case of a player not being able to manage emotions after a loss, she opined that the Latvian was wrong to behave the way she did with Townsend.
"I think it was a heat of the moment thing and I think Jelena was probably feeling emotions after she lost. I do think that that shouldn't have been said regardless of how you're you're feeling, especially given those were the reasons that she stated. And knowing Taylor personally, she's the opposite of that. She's one of the nicest people that I've ever met," Coco Gauff told reporters at a prior press conference at the 2025 US Open.
Coco Gauff's next challenge in New York this year is a fourth-round clash against former No. 1 and two-time US Open champion Naomi Osaka.
