Tennis-Gauff bringing positive attitude to US Open 'victory lap'

By Amy Tennery

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A supportive fan helped soothe defending champion Coco Gauff's nerves ahead of the U.S. Open, the American said on Friday, as she hopes to enjoy her Flushing "victory lap" after a handful of disappointing results.

Gauff was at her best level when she arrived in New York last year and delivered on years of enormous expectations when she beat Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka in a three-set thriller final to claim the trophy.

It is a different story this time around, after early exits in Toronto and Cincinnati, with her lone title of the year in Auckland in January.

But the 20-year-old said she had a positive attitude for the year's final major.

"Somebody commented on my TikTok," said Gauff, "It said, you've won literally and figuratively. Why stress yourself out over a victory lap?

"I was, like, that's actually a good perspective. No one can take that from me so why stress myself over something that I already have."

Gauff's U.S. Open breakthrough came with a small sense of relief after she was catapulted into the spotlight at just 15 when she became the youngest ever to qualify for Wimbledon in 2019.

"Some people thought I was going to win (a major) at 15 or 16, which was crazy, I wasn't going to do that. I think it just helped prepare me for now," said Gauff. "Now coming in, I'm going to enjoy it."

While many defending champions often say they can feel a target on their back, Gauff said she welcomed the attention.

"Next year, whether I win this or not, I'll still have maybe a little bit more attention just because that just seems the way my life is going," she said. "I can continue to use that platform to spread positivity."

The U.S. Open begins on Monday.

(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)