Coco Gauff, the American tennis sensation, is all set to bounce back from her recent Middle East setbacks as she gears up for the Indian Wells tournament. After a roller-coaster start to the season, including a quarterfinals stint at the Australian Open and a successful United Cup campaign with Team USA, Gauff experienced a downward spiral with unexpected early exits in Doha and Dubai. However, the 20-year-old dynamo is optimistic about her chances at the Indian Wells, famously dubbed the ‘fifth Grand Slam.’
In a pre-tournament press conference at Indian Wells, Gauff addressed her critics, downplaying her recent losses and reiterating her determination to get back on the winning track. “Everybody makes a bigger deal than what it is. I lost two matches. Everyone is, like, `Oh, she’s sinking.’ OK, we’ve been through this. I’ll pick it back up,” she said confidently. Gauff views her losses as part of her journey and is committed to making a robust comeback.
This year, Indian Wells has swapped its surface provider from Plexipave to Laykold after nearly a quarter-century. The tournament has traditionally featured slower, hard courts which typically result in a higher bounce. However, the change is expected to result in a faster and lower bouncing surface. Laykold is a trusted provider, offering surfaces for significant tournaments such as the Miami Open, US Open, Cincinnati Open, and the National Bank Open in Montreal and Toronto.
Gauff, the former US Open champion, sees opportunity amidst these changes. After her Middle East struggle, she believes these new conditions could play in her favor. “I don’t know if you guys notice, but in Doha, a lot of the flatter-hitting girls did better there. The ball doesn’t bounce as much a little bit for us who play with more spin. Yeah, I think that was one of the things. In Dubai, I mean, I’m not using excuses, it’s just being real, some conditions don’t favor certain people,” she explained.
In her previous appearances at the Indian Wells, Gauff has not yet reached the finals. Her record stands at 9-4 at the BNP Paribas Open. Despite defeat at the hands of Simona Halep in the first round in 2022, she made a strong comeback the following year, reaching the quarterfinals before losing to Aryna Sabalenka. In 2024, she went a step further, but Maria Sakkari stopped her short of the summit clash.
The anticipation for Gauff’s performance in the Indian Wells is high. She will kick off her campaign against Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima in the R64, and the question on everyone’s mind is whether she could become the first American woman to win the Indian Wells Open title since Serena Williams in 2001.
Gauff also remains hopeful about the chances of her fellow American women at the Indian Wells. The recent success of Madison Keys at the Adelaide International and the Australian Open, and Jessica Pegula’s title win, have instilled a sense of optimism. Gauff expressed her eagerness to end the long-standing drought at the Indian Wells, saying, “I was in the semis last year, so I was hoping it would be me. Hopefully, this year we can, and if it’s not me I hope it’s an American. I just feel like this is the biggest tournament we probably have outside of US Open, and we have to somehow figure out how to bring the Cup home.“
Whether the new surface will favor the Americans remains a matter of speculation. However, the world number one, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina have both expressed their preference for faster surfaces. On the other hand, the 2024 champion, Iga Swiatek, wants to keep her focus on the game rather than overthinking about the surface. The question that lingers is – who will gain the most from the new surface at the Indian Wells? Only time will tell.