Coco Gauff

EVEN when they’ve won, post match media interviews can be edgy, stilted affairs for many players.

When Coco Gauff walked into the giant interview room on Friday night an hour after upsetting the defending champion, she smiled warmly, said ‘hello’, leaned forward with both elbows on the desk and began chatting. A natural.

There were as few nerves before the 30 or so battle hardened hacks as she showed against Naomi Osaka. Gauff is 15-years-old, but is another level entirely. 

She was more nervous she said watching her pal Serena Williams play earlier. Already her mom had passed on a congratulatory tweet from Rod Laver. She hoped to meet him on Saturday she said.

She talked about how nice Osaka can be off court and is in awe of Roger Federer who she bumped into immediately post match, but is not overawed, far from it.

She didn’t even shy away from whether she might win this tournament herself.

“I think almost every player has a belief that they can win it,” she said. “I just always have the belief I can win regardless of my opponents.”

She is refreshingly transparent, no looking to hide her thinking or tactics. And that smile, she never stopped beaming. Asked about her strategy against Osaka, she was straightforward.

“Honestly, I was just wanting to get my first serve in the court. Before my match my coaches don't really tell me where to serve, on the forehand or backhand, because in the moment I just kind of serve wherever I want and whatever serve I feel.”

While she is composed, it is very much in an American teenager’s way. She says ‘Oh, my gosh,” a lot and is disarming and uplifting in turn.

Her next opponent, Sofia Kevin, is a doughty 21-year-old who made last year’s end of season WTA finals (as a late replacement). Moscow born, she has lived in America most of her life.

She and Gauff have never played, but the prospect of facing a teen for a place in the last eight - Kenin has never made it this far in any major - is not enticing. As Oaska reflected glumly post match, “you don't want to lose to a 15-year-old,”.

With four matches to go, Coco is not even halfway to winning this championship. But suddenly and unquestionably, she is a contender.

Can Coco win this Open? 

Yes, why not?