Winning is the desired outcome that we can’t control. But as Gauff has repeatedly demonstrated, competing is the process that one can hold ownership of every single minute.
Gauff’s forehand and serve have inspired enough dialogue to trigger a decade-long teaching conference. Put that aside and let us now praise her career-long superpower: No one in tennis competes better than Gauff. This surfaces not just in the rallies, but also in between points. Turn the clock back 44 years. On an extremely blustery day, Tracy Austin lost the first set of the 1981 US Open final to a powerful opponent, Martina Navratilova, 6-1. From there, Austin dug in, won the next two sets in tiebreakers and, like Gauff, earned her second Grand Slam singles title.
The asset that carried Austin to that victory was the same one that worked for Gauff: positive body language and keen mental focus, as she went about the business of solving one problem after another.
“Obviously I think the first [Grand Slam singles title] was maybe more emotional,” said Gauff, “but I think this one was just harder because, you know, you win one, and you just don’t want to get satisfied with just that one…Today, playing Aryna, I was just, like, ‘I just gotta go for it and try my best to get through the match.’ Yeah, that’s what I did.”
There are those who say that the ability to compete effectively cannot be taught. I’d say it is an abdication of responsibility on the part of parents, instructors, coaches and many others. For surely, a positive attitude like Gauff’s can be learned, can’t it? And while she brings her own distinct temperament into competition, Gauff was also taught such values as grit, poise and grace by her parents, and was therefore open to learning yet more from others.
To earn the title in Paris, Gauff also beat the winners of the last two majors, Australian Open champion Madison Keys and US Open titlist Sabalenka. Knowing that could further boost Gauff’s confidence as she heads to Wimbledon—the Slam where Gauff first hit the pro radar six years ago, but also the only major where she’s never gone past the round of 16.