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Coco Gauff clarifies comments on American tennis fans
PERTH, Australia — Coco Gauff posted to social media just before she started her United Cup singles match Monday, hoping to add context to her recent comments about American tennis fans.
The ensuing match didn't go well for the No. 4-ranked Gauff, who lost the first five games and struggled in a 6-1, 6-7 (3), 6-0 loss to No. 42 Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.
It gave Spain a 1-0 lead over the defending champion U.S. team in the Group A contest ahead of the men's singles and mixed doubles.
"I'm going to clarify because people are dragging this out of context," Gauff said in the pre-match post, referring to the "worst" comments she made earlier at the tournament comparing support for players from smaller countries with the kind of support American players receive on foreign soil.
These Colors Don't Travel
Coco Gauff and Taylor Fritz, the respective top Americans in men’s and women’s tennis who are rejoining forces this week to defend their United Cup title, started their seasons as far as possible from their Florida training bases, in Perth, Western Australia.1
Perth was, perhaps, the worst possible place to ask a question which might’ve gotten a similar answer anywhere: Did the top Americans expect to see a lot of American fans in the stands, both in Perth and during the rest of their Australian swings?
Specifically, an Australian reporter asked Gauff: “Coming to Australia—coming to Perth, and then going to Sydney and then Melbourne—do you feel like there’s a good crowd contingent? A lot of U.S. compatriots, I guess? Or U.S. people coming out to support you?”
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Why Coco Gauff wants more from U.S. tennis fans around the world as season begins
Welcome back to the Monday Tennis Briefing, where The Athletic will explain the stories behind the stories from the past week on court.
This week, the 2026 season started with tournaments across Australia and New Zealand, from international team tennis in Perth and Sydney at the United Cup, to ATP and WTA events in Brisbane and Auckland.
Coco Gauff asked U.S. fans to show up some more, Taylor Fritz did an unfortunate celebration, and after an off-season meant for rest and physical development, numerous players reported issues with their bodies.
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