"It was inspiring more than anything else" - Coco Gauff insists she did not feel jealous after Emma Raducanu's US Open triumph

Coco Gauff has insisted that Emma Raducanu's 2021 US Open triumph did not leave her feeling envious but rather inspired her on her journey to winning her maiden Slam.

Raducanu stunned the world in 2021 when she became the first qualifier to win a Major without dropping a set. The Brit came out of nowhere to win the title, having only played a handful of WTA tour matches before the US Open.

Coco Gauff, on the other hand, has long been touted for Grand Slam glory, having displayed sustained success over the years. However, the American is yet to get her hands on the holy grail, coming close at last year's French Open where she finished as runner-up.

Even though the 18-year-old American has no Grand Slams in double the attempts of Raducanu, she insisted in her recent column for the BBC that she bore no ill will when the latter won the US Open.

"Some people might think seeing Emma win the US Open at such a young age may have made me jealous or envious. It didn't. It was inspiring more than anything else," Coco Gauff wrote.

Gauff also believes Raducanu has been subject to more pressure and scrutiny than she ever has been.

"I can relate to bursting on to the scene and dealing with the pressure that follows, but I don't think that was anywhere near to the level of attention Emma received," she continued.

Gauff, who will face Raducanu in the second round of the 2023 Australian Open on Wednesday, revealed that she often reaches out to the Brit to check on her well-being. She believes that the 20-year-old is an intelligent and wise individual.

"With her being my age, I always try to reach out and when she picked up the ankle injury in Auckland I reached out to see how she was doing," the American wrote.

"I always try to look out for people when they're joining the tour because I know how different a life it is. Emma has a great head on her shoulders and I think she is doing great," she added.

"Even though I talk to Emma a lot, I wouldn't say we are close friends" - Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff in action at the 2023 Australian Open

In her column, Coco Gauff also wrote about the importance of having friends on tour given how one spends a good chunk of time with them throughout the season.

"I definitely think it is important to have friends on tour because you're around these people every week. These are also your co-workers," Gauff wrote.

"You don't want them to hate you and you don't want to hate them. Why would anybody want to be around hateful people every week?" she added.

She named some of her closest friends on tour, stressing that she looks for friends who are genuinely happy when others do well.

"My biggest friends are Caty McNally, Jessica Pegula, Christopher Eubanks, Taylor Townsend - pretty much mostly Americans who I know and get along with very well," she revealed.

"We have a fun group and we all root for each other. That's what I look for the most, people who genuinely want to see you do well," the American added.

Gauff disclosed that she does not consider Emma Raducanu among her close friends even though they interact a lot.

"Even though I talk to Emma a lot, I wouldn't say we are close friends," she stated.