Jun 6, 2024; Paris, France; Coco Gauff of the United States returns a shot during her match against Iga Swiatek of Poland on day 12 of Roland Garros at Stade Roland Garros. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo
(Reuters) - Second seed Coco Gauff said she went through a dark time after her first-round exit from Wimbledon last year, but the setback put her career in perspective as she turned her form around.
Gauff, 20, has since won the U.S. Open and reached the semi-finals of Australian Open and French Open.
"I wish a year ago, me after that match could see me now," the American told reporters on Saturday. "That was a tough moment for me. I think the first two, three weeks after that, I was really in a dark place.
"It was tough for me to realise I have so much time. When that happens you just feel the weight of everything on you. I think I had high expectations at that age. I still do."
Gauff said she did not feel any extra pressure ahead of playing fellow American Caroline Dolehide in the first round on Monday.
"With Wimbledon, I'm really relaxed going into this year. I didn't have a great Wimbledon last year. It's like it couldn't get any worse, it can only get better or the same," she said.
The world number two said it did not matter to her that top seed Iga Swiatek, who has beaten her in 11 of 12 matches, was placed the other side of the draw since she needed to beat everybody to win.
"It gives you confidence obviously when you see that the field isn't stacked... in the way where there's one player dominating or three players dominating," she said. "I think everybody has an equal shot and it's just about who can perform better that week."
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Chopra)
