“I needed something to give me some fulfillment”: Coco Gauff on taking CPR training after Wimbledon 2023 exit

Coco Gauff recently stated that she learned CPR for "some fulfillment" after her first-round elimination at Wimbledon last month. Gauff fell to compatriot Sofia Kenin 4-6, 6-4, 2-6 at the grasscourt Major, a tournament she said "did nothing for her."

Gauff's comments came following her second-round victory at the ongoing Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati on Wednesday. Seeded sixth, Gauff defeated Mayer Sherif 6-2, 6-2.

During an on-court interview following the match, a reporter told the 19-year-old about an ailing fan and how it reminded him of her having completed CPR certification.

Coco Gauff responded by revealing she took a 90-minute CPR class following her defeat at Wimbledon, adding she needed to feel good about something following her struggles at SW19.

"The class took 90 mins after I lost at Wimbledon. I came home and needed something to give me some fulfillment because that tournament did nothing for me," Gauff said.

Earlier this month, a spectator became ill during the quarter-final match between Coco Gauff and Belinda Bencic at the Citi Open - which the former eventually won by defeating Maria Sakkari in straight sets 6-2, 6-1.

After her victory, Gauff told a reporter that she was ready to help if the fan needed CPR because she had just completed the training and urged everyone on the court to learn the technique.

"At first I was just making sure that it wasn't something cardiac," Gauff was quoted as saying by Reuters. "I just took a CPR class, so if they needed me to jump in I was ready. I have my certification."

"I did ask the ref if it was cardiac," she added. "I'm sure there are more professional people out here, but she said it wasn't... that's when I realized the person will probably be OK. But yeah, everybody in the stadium should take the class. It took 90 minutes. I booked it on the flight from Wimbledon... it's really informative."

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Coco Gauff on her friendship with Jessica Pegula

Coco Gauff in action at the Cincinnati Open

Coco Gauff was beaten 2-6, 7-5, 5-7 in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Canadian Open by her compatriot Jessica Pegula. Pegula, the current World No.3, is also a close friend of Coco Gauff.

During a press conference following the match, a reporter asked Coco Gauff if their friendship had any impact on their encounters. She dismissed the notion, claiming that despite their familiarity with each other's playing techniques, their friendship has no influence on their on-court rivalry.

"It [losing to Pegula] doesn't feel as much as people make it out to be," she said. "Jess and I have obviously more of a public friendship because we're playing doubles a lot, but I'm friends with a lot of the girls on tour, so it's quite the same thing. Obviously, we're playing doubles, so you guys -- I guess our friendship is more of a big thing, but you'll be surprised how often we play people that we're close to on tour."

Gauff will now face Linda Noskova of Czech Republic in the third round in Cincinnati on Friday. The two also faced each other in the second round of the Indian Wells, with Gauff winning in straight sets.