'It feels human, I gave in to the pressure, but that’s normal': Coco Gauff breaks down in tears amid tough Donna Vekic tie

Coco Gauff’s second-round win at the 2025 US Open wasn’t just another victory under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was a night where the world No. 3 showed her human side, breaking down in tears on court as the weight of expectation hit hard.

In her post-match press conference, Gauff spoke candidly about that moment, her growth, and her loyalty to fellow American Taylor Townsend following a controversial clash with Jelena Ostapenko. Gauff had seen off Donna Vekic 7-6, 6-2 in the second round and now faces Magdalena Frech at the US Open. She continues to struggle at times but also continues to win.

At 5–6 in the opening set, cameras caught Gauff wiping tears during a changeover but it shows the true human nature of a sport where people think they are ultimately like robots for doing the extraordinary. “Yeah, I think it was just nerves and pressure, honestly. I’m someone who usually thrives on that, but there’s been a lot on me this tournament, more than usual, which I expected. What you saw out there was what it was. I was able to reset through it, but yeah, it was a challenging moment for me on the court. It’s been a tough couple of weeks on and off the court, but I’m just happy to get through it today," said Gauff.

Asked what it felt like to break down in front of nearly 24,000 fans, Gauff didn’t shy away. “It feels human. I think being an athlete, people kind of disregard that side of us. People say things like, ‘You’re number three in the world, you should be better,’ but at the end of the day, if I stopped tomorrow, I’d have a career so many people dream of. In that moment, I gave in to the pressure, but that’s normal. Every pro athlete has felt that pressure, whether they showed it publicly like I did or privately. I just showed people what it’s like to be human. I have bad days, but it’s about how you get up after those moments. Today I showed that I could get up after feeling the worst I’ve ever felt on the court.”

She admitted the pressure including of dealing with a new serve has been building. “This year especially has been tough for me. There’s been a lot going on in my head with the changes in my game. It’s been very stressful. A lot of days I come off practice and I’m not feeling confident. Honestly, I was telling my team this might be the most nervous I’ve ever been before matches here, even more than my first time playing in Ashe. This tournament has been the hardest mentally, so today was the first time I let the emotions show.”

Standing up for Taylor Townsend

The conversation shifted to Jelena Ostapenko’s fiery press conference after losing to Taylor Townsend, where she criticized Townsend’s warm-up routine and a point played following a let cord. Gauff, who has known Townsend since her junior days, defended her friend fiercely. “Yeah, I saw what happened. I’m close with Taylor, so I can tell you a couple things. She’s always warmed up at the net since juniors — I played her when I was 14 and that’s what she did. It’s not against the rules. Same with the let cord — she had a winner afterwards and that’s not against the rules either.”

While understanding Ostapenko’s emotions, Gauff stressed Townsend’s character. “I know what was said after the match. It was probably the heat of the moment and emotions from losing. But I don’t think it should’ve been said, especially given those reasons. Knowing Taylor personally, she’s the opposite of that. She’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met — always checking in on me after tough moments. I hate that some people may be hearing of Taylor for the first time through this, because she’s much more than that. She’s a mom, a great friend, a talented tennis player, and a good person. I hope by the end of the tournament people see that side of her.”