This has made Gauff one of the favourites for the Australian Open title, and the world number three has made a successful start with a straight sets win over former champion Sofia Kenin.

Coco Gauff knew that Taylor Fritz would not lose in United Cup final

At the United Cup, Gauff praised fellow top American Taylor Fritz after getting the decisive singles rubber win over Poland in the final.

When speaking after her first round win at the Australian Open, Gauff went onto reveal the confident mindset that Fritz has that she can learn from.

“Yeah, Taylor has a lot of confidence,” said Gauff. “I think it’s great and something that everybody can learn from. Yeah, and his mentality is very great in the belief that he has in himself and even in me. It made me play better.

“He kind of predicted how the finals would go for the United Cup. So, yeah, it just shows how much confidence he has in him, and I guess it makes you have so much confidence in him. When we were playing, I knew if I got my point on the board, just the way he carries himself, you’re, like, ‘Okay, this guy is not going to lose.’

“So I would basically pretty much cool down all the way because I knew he was going to win his matches. Yeah, I think he’s a great role model I think for – now that I know him – for American tennis. Yeah, I didn’t know him well, and then I got to know him over the Olympics and then over United Cup. Yeah, I would say he’s a great person and great player.”

What did Taylor Fritz tell Coco Gauff at the United Cup?

It seems as though it was a USA team mindset as both Fritz and Gauff backed each other at the United Cup.

In the United Cup final against Poland, Gauff got only her third career win over Iga Swiatek.

This is something that Fritz appeared to predict ahead of the final, after Gauff explained what the ATP number four told her.

“He said that about every match, though,” said Gauff. “Every match he would just be pretty confident; ‘Yeah, you’re going to win, and I’m going to win.’ Yeah, that’s just his mentality.

“It’s so matter of fact. Whereas I feel like I have a confidence, but not in that way. It’s more so like not in a results type of way, but more so of how I can play. I know the ability of what I can do. He’s more so confidence like he believes. It’s not, like, fake. Sometimes around people you think, it’s fake. No, it’s very real.

“I think he’s someone that everybody should look out for this year because he’s playing some great tennis. Obviously as he proved last year, but with that mentality I feel like he can go as far as he wants.”

After reaching his first major final at the US Open last year, Fritz will look to go one better at the majors this year.

If he is to go deep in Melbourne, Fritz will want to avoid an early five set match in his Australian Open first round match against Jenson Brooksby.

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