By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday, May 2, 2025
For Coco Gauff, there’s only one ranking that counts: No. 1.
Following her spectacular 6-1, 6-1 triumph over Iga Swiatek in Madrid, Gauff expressed to the press that she is unbothered by her potential ranking after the final.
“Honestly, it’s not something I dwell on,” Gauff remarked. “The only number that truly holds significance for me right now is 1. Any other ranking is just a number. Of course, it reflects the hard work and consistency I’m putting in, but I don’t let it define my goals.”
For fans intrigued by the rankings, a victory against Aryna Sabalenka in Saturday’s Madrid final could propel Gauff past Swiatek.
Coco #Gauff on #clay is always a sight to behold in #tennis #getty pic.twitter.com/4Iaw7ILqiA
— Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) May 1, 2025
Recently, Gauff has flipped the script on Swiatek. After enduring a tough start in their rivalry, having lost the first seven matches, she has since secured four victories in their last eight encounters, including three in a row.
“It’s incredible that we’ve faced each other so often,” she said. “At 21, and Iga at 23, we’re both just starting out. I wouldn’t be surprised if we end up setting the record for most matches played against one another in tennis history.”
In her earlier contests against Swiatek, Gauff often struggled under pressure. Now, she approaches their matches with a refreshed mindset.
“I used to focus too intently and it created undue pressure,” she shared. “Now, I just play for the joy of it. If I win, it’s a win for my record against her, and if I lose, I acknowledge it’s because she outplayed me.”
“I aim for the mindset that if I lose, it’s because she won the match, not because I gave it away.”
