Written by Richard Pagliaro | @Itenisi_Manje | Thursday, May 16, 2024
With the red clay of Rome, the Americans aimed for a great legend.
Believe it or not, Americans can't do dirty work with clay, it said Coco Gauff.
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Following his 6-4, 6-3 loss in the Rome final to the world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Gauff said Americans are rewriting the old story that Americans don't like dirt.
It points to the champion of the Miami Open Danielle Collins he ran to the semifinals in Rome as well as the 14th-seeded Tommy Paul dethroning defending champion Daniil Medvedev and Hubert Hurkacz respectively to reach the semifinals in Rome, Gauff said people underestimate Americans on clay.
“Specifically Tommy and Danielle are the people I always look up to, although I wouldn't say we're very close,” Gauff told reporters in Rome. “We talk all the time. Me and Danielle, I love her. She and I became close after the Billie Jean King Cup we did together.
“He is just an honest person, I like to see him do well, I think if you ask him, he likes to see me do well.
“I think it's a relationship. I think it forces us to be better. I think with clay people look down on Americans and think we hate European swing. I was hoping maybe I could win and Tommy could win and it could be an American sweep.”
Paul said a group of about 20 Americans gathered for a team dinner in Rome before the tournament.
Andre Agassithe 2002 Roman champion, he is the last American man to reign in Rome.
Serena Williams defeated people Madison Keys final in Rome 2016 for his fourth Italian Open crown.
Former world No. 1 Serena Williams remains the last American woman to win Rome.
US Open champion Gauff fights for Collins, who will face them land no. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in the semi-finals, to pass again.
“But if it's not me, I'd like it to be Danielle,” Gauff said. “If it's his farewell tour, I think he deserves it. I was hoping I could win today so I could play him in the final.”
Photo credit: Eric Espada/Getty for the ITF Billie Jean King Cup
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