Teenage phenom Coco Gauff has credited her 16-year-old, baseball playing younger brother for her new grand slam winning mentality.
Gauff, 19, won her first major at the US Open last year and breezed through to the Australian Open fourth round with a 6-0, 6-2 demolition of fellow American Alycia Parks on Friday.
She was asked by a reporter the knowledge she had gained about going deep into grand slam tournaments.
LIVE: Australian Open 2024 day six
READ MORE: Shock as champion record-holder dead at 29
READ MORE: Gould lands ‘lightning’ nephew of Kiwi legend
Coco Gauff plays a backhand in their round one singles match against Anna Karolina Schmiedlova during the 2024 Australian Open.
Coco Gauff plays a backhand. (Cameron Spencer via Getty Images)
“It was actually something my brother told me, which is crazy,” Gauff said.
“Codey, he told me ‘pretend that you have to win three sets instead of two.’ If you put your mindset into the extra mile, then it seems easier I guess in a way.
“He would say, OK, if you want to win the grand slam, say you have to win eight matches instead of seven. It’s like changing your mindset so it feels further.
