Coco Gauff admitted to being star-struck all the way through her visit to TwitchCon over the weekend. The 18-year-old American is ready to play her first match as a member of the Top 10 this week at the San Diego Open, however she could not face up to the urge to pop over to the San Diego Convention Center for the live-streaming conference, which brings in combination the largest streamers and content material creators on Twitch for a three-day collecting with enthusiasts.
“It was better than what I thought it would be,” Gauff advised newshounds forward of the San Diego Open. “I got to see some of the people I’ve been watching online for years in person. I got to meet some of my favorite creators. I had a great time and I was glad I was able to go.”
“A lot of people were looking at my badge and were like, ‘Are you a streamer?’ I said was here for a tennis tournament, but I saw this next door and was like, ‘I want to go.'”
got here for a tennis match however chances are you’ll catch me going to twitch con tbh
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) October 7, 2022
That Gauff made up our minds to hit the conference days ahead of a match is extra proof she has embraced her want to have a laugh away from the tennis court docket. For Gauff, her very best effects have come when she’s taken a extra comfy way to her occupation, as evidenced via her run to the French Open ultimate in May.
I’m extra relaxing,” Gauff said. “It was once a large transition for me as a result of I felt like I used to be surrounding my existence with tennis. A 12 months in the past and even a few months in the past there is not any approach I might have long past to TwitchCon ahead of a match as a result of I assumed I had to only center of attention my existence in this.
“I realized that I have other interests and it’s OK to embrace it. I started doing that in Paris, that’s where it all started for me, and I found my results were much better. I realized it was the complete opposite of what I needed to do.”
Gauff counts Valkyrae, Ludwig, Disguised Toast and Sykkuno as her favourite streamers. She after all were given to meet Valkyrae at TwitchCon. Gauff says she’s been gazing “The Queen of YouTube” since she was once 13.
Will we be seeing Gauff in the streamer chair anytime quickly? For now she’ll stick to tennis and lurking.
“I always say I’m a watcher, not a streamer,” Gauff mentioned. “I’d think I’d be good at it because I can interact with people online, but I don’t have time to stream my life and I don’t think I would be good at the gaming part.”
As she turns her consideration again to the courts at the Barnes Tennis Center, Gauff is making ready for a difficult attract San Diego. She is is scheduled to face American qualifier Robin Montgomery, with both Tokyo champion Liudmila Samsonova or Bianca Andreescu ready in the 2nd spherical. Win thru to the quarterfinals and World No.1 Iga Swiatek or Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina may well be ready.
Gauff has but to safe her qualifying spot at the WTA Finals, however she is in excellent place to qualify in each singles and doubles with Jessica Pegula. Gauff sits at No.4 on the Race to the WTA Finals Leaderboard, at the back of No.3 Pegula, and the duo are at No.5 on the Doubles Race Leaderboard.
“I definitely think this is the toughest part of the season for everyone,” Gauff mentioned. “The Grand Slams are over and you’re just trying to get through the end of the season and you see the finish line. I’m just motivated to try and finish it as well as I can. I’m glad that San Diego is the start of the end.”