Coco Gauff has mastered handling skeptics! Despite being the World No. 2, critics often point out flaws in her play. This was particularly evident during her US Open run last year, but Gauff, known for her resilience and charisma, expressed gratitude to her haters for motivating her. Much like Novak Djokovic, who thrives on negative crowd energy, Gauff uses criticism to fuel her determination.
In her latest TikTok video, Gauff blends humor with a powerful message of resilience to address her critics. Her vibrant energy and confidence make it clear she’s focused on success, not just having fun.
In addition, the WTA star captioned the video with, “Our message to the doubters is: thanks for adding fuel to our fire.” The video not only aims to silence those who questioned her abilities but also promotes small businesses while sidelining the haters.
In the video, she says, “Every great idea has a doubter. You can fight them, but never silence them, so while they talk, we get to work. Whether you’re celebrating a small business win or a championship, we can’t let them extinguish our fire. We have to turn their doubt into fuel that makes us unstoppable.”
Following her incredible victory over Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s US Open final, American tennis star Coco Gauff expressed gratitude to her doubters, acknowledging that their skepticism fueled her determination and motivation, ultimately helping her advance in her career.
Gauff said, “Thank you to the people who didn’t believe in me. To those who thought they were putting water on my fire, you were really adding gas to it. Now I’m really burning so bright right now.” The 20-year-old tennis player has faced considerable criticism and scrutiny since starting her professional career, a common reality for young athletes.
Although it’s noted that hatred can be a powerful motivator, her critics’ predictions have not come true. Instead of succumbing to the pressure, Gauff used the criticism as motivation, leading her to win her first Grand Slam championship. She has developed her own method of handling haters. A few months ago, the World No. 2 shared how she deals with online negativity.
Coco Gauff’s Approach to Handling Haters
While the 20-year-old doesn’t consider the online hate she encounters to be highly significant, she is aware of the impact of every comment about her. However, her team has advised her not to respond to the criticism.
After the China Open last year, she stated, “I feel like my brain just works different… I still have the filters on my Instagram. I don’t see anything. I see the comments. I used to not be on Twitter at all. I’m still really not on Twitter much. But sometimes you get caught up in the scroll. The way the page is, the accounts that you interact with, you see yourself.”
The reigning US Open champion admits that she finds motivation in negativity. Although she mostly avoids Twitter, Gauff occasionally checks in to read both positive and negative comments. This balanced approach allows her to stay aware of public opinion while using criticism as motivation to improve her performance on the court.
