"You have to look at the glass half-full" - Coco Gauff has good chance of defending US Open title despite poor form, says Chanda Rubin

Former World No. 6 and tennis commentator Chanda Rubin has backed Coco Gauff to defend her US Open title despite poor form. Gauff in the second round at the Cincinnati Open ended after being defeated by Yulia Putintseva.

Rubin told Tennis Channel that Gauff had the ability to look at negative situations with a positive spin, alluding to her comments in a pre-tournament press conference. The World No. 2 said that losing early in Cincinnati was a blessing in disguise as it helped her have more practice sessions.

"I think you have got to look at things positively. You have got to look at the glass half-full, regardless of what’s happening, regardless of your results and Gauff certainly has that ability and it’s part of what has allowed her to continue her to rebound, to become the champion, that she has become. With all the pressure, with all the expectations. I think she is dealing with that again this year in New York for different reasons," Chanda Rubin said (at 0:06).

Rubin added that the defending champion's first-round match against Varvara Gracheva will help her gain confidence ahead of the more daunting challenges that await her in the following rounds.

"The fact that she has been having good practices as she mentions, I think that’s a good sign and she has got a first-round match that will allow her to really gain the confidence, work her way in the points, you know, to use her speed, to dictate a little bit more. I think it’s going to be a nice test but certainly a test that is very doable. So, there is a lot of positives for Gauff right now in spite of her not having quite the Harcourt season that she would have hoped for," she added.

Coco Gauff: "I feel like it was a blessing in disguise I lost so early"

Coco Gauff has found a silver lining in her second-round defeat at the 2024 Cincinnati Open. Talking to the press ahead of the 2024 US Open, she said that losing early was a 'blessing in disguise' as she was able to have more training sessions. She added that she always performed her best with good training blocks under her belt.

"So really, the main focus was trying to be as ready as possible for here, which I feel like it was a blessing in disguise I lost so early, because I was able to actually train, which I hadn't been able to. I do my best results when I come off a training block," Coco Gauff said.

Gauff said her last few training sessions have gone well, as compared to before the Cincinnati Open and Canadian Open.

"The last couple of practices have gone really well, which before, like, during Cincinnati wasn't having great practices, in Toronto wasn't having great practices," she added.

Coco Gauff lifted her Grand Slam first title in New York, last year, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final.