Gauff’s SW19 bid fuelled by anger at US abortion verdict

AMERICAN teenager Coco Gauff says she is using the US Supreme Court’s ‘backwards’ decision on abortion rights as motivation to win at Wimbledon so she can continue to highlight it as unjust.

The overturning of the Roe v Wade ruling from 1973 has devastated many Americans, including Gauff, the 18-year-old who reached the final of the French Open earlier this month.

She is among the favourites to win Wimbledon and feels the longer she stays at SW19, the more her message will be heard worldwide.

Discussing the landmark decision that will fracture reproductive rights in America, at her pre-tournament press conference yesterday, Gauff said: ‘I feel bad for future women and women now, but I also feel bad for those who protested for this, I don’t even know how many years ago. Having this decision reversed, I feel like we’re almost going backwards.

‘But I still want to encourage people to use their voice and not feel too discouraged about this because we can definitely make a change, and hopefully change will happen.’

Asked about balancing a Grand Slam with her anger and frustration at news such as this, Gauff continued: ‘The same thing happened at the French Open where I was talking about gun violence. So I definitely don’t think it affects my performance. I feel like it fuels me more.

‘I know the more I win, the later I get into tournaments, the more people are watching, the more people can hear my message. I feel like I use that almost as fuel to do better.’

Gauff has reached the fourth round of Wimbledon twice, in 2019 and 2021. She was only 15 on her debut three years ago.

‘Honestly, I feel like I’m a lot more relaxed than when I was considered the “sensation” or whatever,’ she said. ‘It felt like everybody wanted the results to happen now, now, now. This time around, even though I’m considered a favorite, I don’t feel like it as much as I did when I was 15 or even 16.

‘I felt like I was a little bit delusional in my head about how much people wanted me to win, whereas now I feel like if it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.

‘Every tournament I go into, I believe I can win it. Having the good success these last couple of weeks, especially at the French Open, it builds my confidence even more.’