As Wimbledon season gets underway, American tennis sensation Coco Gauff has stirred conversations with candid remarks about on-court practices among her peers, going so far as to suggest that some rivals “cheat” during informal training sessions. The young star’s comments, made during a press conference following her dominant first-round victory at SW19, shed light on an unspoken aspect of professional tennis.
Gauff, who effortlessly dispatched Caroline Dolehide with a 6-1, 6-2 win on Centre Court, was asked directly if she had ever felt cheated by another player. Her response, delivered with a chuckle, hinted at a recent, perhaps sensitive, discussion. “I feel like you might have heard a conversation me and another player had,” Gauff remarked, a grin playing on her lips, suggesting a private moment might have been inadvertently overheard. She quickly added, “No, yeah, I mean, I’m not going to say who, but we had a conversation about how some players on tour do like to call the lines a little bit too much in practice. So we were having like a laugh out of that.”
This observation from Gauff highlights a fascinating, if somewhat contentious, facet of the highly competitive tennis circuit. While official matches are meticulously overseen by line judges and hawk-eye technology, practice sessions often rely on the honor system. It’s in these less formalized settings that players occasionally bend the rules, calling balls out that might have been in, or vice versa, to gain a perceived advantage or simply out of habit.
Gauff elaborated on her rationale for avoiding certain practice partners. “But, yeah, there are some girls, I don’t know if it’s intentional or not, that will do it,” she explained. For Gauff, the stakes in practice are different from those in a formal match. “For me, I don’t really take any offense. If we’re in a real match, what’s the point?” However, she then offered a psychological insight into why this behavior might persist. “But a lot of times it’s probably girls who maybe were like cheaters in juniors and they just have the habit.” This suggests that some players carry over competitive tendencies from their formative years, where matches might have been officiated less stringently, into their professional training.
To minimize frustration, Gauff makes a conscious effort to select her practice partners carefully. “Yeah, but most of the time I try to practice with people who don’t do that just to save frustration. I’m not going to question the girl. I’m not going to be like, ‘Hey, that was kind of in.’ I’ll be like whatever, ju1st move on.” Her pragmatic approach underscores the need for players to maintain focus and conserve mental energy, even during practice. Confronting a peer over a line call in an informal setting might disrupt the flow of training and create unnecessary tension.
This isn’t an isolated sentiment within the tennis community. Fellow American Sloane Stephens also recently shared a humorous anecdote about a similar situation, admitting she thought she had accidentally cheated in a practice with a player she admired. Stephens recounted a moment where she called a double fault on her opponent’s serve, only to later discover, through her mother, that chalk had indeed flown up, indicating the ball was in. “She thought I cheated her in the practice, but I didn’t know this happened in the practice,” Stephens explained, adding, “So I was, like, ‘Oh, yeah, second serve out, double fault,’ whatever. Apparently, she looked back at her coach in disgust, whatever. I don’t know, I didn’t see it.” Stephens quickly clarified the misunderstanding, emphasizing, “I definitely, like, spoke to her already and was, like, ‘I wasn’t trying to cheat you. Like, it’s just not that serious to me.’ I’m, like, ‘I’m really sorry.’ She was, like, ‘No, it’s okay.’ Now we’re back cool again.”
Gauff’s remarks provide a rare glimpse into the unwritten rules and informal dynamics that shape the lives of professional tennis players. While the competitive spirit is fierce on court, these off-court interactions and personal preferences play a subtle yet significant role in their preparation and mindset, especially as they gear up for the prestigious Wimbledon Championships. As Gauff continues her campaign at SW19, her focus remains sharp, navigating not just her opponents across the net, but also the intricacies of practice court etiquette.
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