Coco Gauff refuses to place herself in the same conversation as Rafael Nadal, wary of sparking backlash from the tennis community over comparisons with the 22-time Grand Slam champion. The American downplayed any similarities to Nadal after beating Liudmila Samsonova 7-5, 6-1 to kick off her campaign at the 2026 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.
Coco Gauff Calls Herself the ‘Walmart’ Version of Rafael Nadal
During her post-match interview, Coco Gauff opened up about modeling aspects of her game on Rafael Nadal, given his legendary dominance on clay.
“I mean, the greatest clay court player is Rafa. I don’t quite play like him but I do try to hit my forehand like he does on clay. I don’t run around as much because my forehand isn’t as good as Rafa but I try to hit it like him. So I guess him and I don’t know, it’s just me and him,” Gauff said.
However, the 22-year-old balked at being called a “right-handed version” of Nadal, instead taking a self-deprecating jab at herself to avoid inviting unnecessary criticism from fans.
“Like a Walmart version of Rafa. I don’t wanna be obliterated online. A lesser version of Rafa, okay,” she added.
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Gauff also spoke candidly about her conflicted feelings toward clay, noting that while the surface suited her playing style, it also proved more challenging than competing on hard courts.
“I don’t know. It’s a surface where i love and hate it. Like today, there were some points where I’m like, ‘I hate it.’ And some points I love it. But obviously I have a lot of success on clay, so I definitely think it’s a game that suits my playing style,” Gauff said. “But I definitely like cutting and changing my direction more on hard court because sliding can be a little bit unpredictable sometimes. It’s fun though when you hit some good ones but it’s also not fun when you’re falling on the ground. But today I didn’t fall so that’s a plus.”
Coco Gauff Previews Quarterfinal Match Against Karolina Muchová
Up next, Gauff will head into her quarterfinal clash with a major advantage, boasting a flawless 6-0 winning record against Karolina Muchová. However, the world No. 3 has no intention of taking the match for granted, acknowledging Muchová as a dangerous threat and asserting that the outcome can swing either way.
“No. It’s pro sports. Anybody can win on any day. Obviously, you take what you did well in the last matches and try to do it again, but like I said, anything can happen,” the American said. “She’s a great player, she’s a great clay court player so I don’t take any of those matches into account. I just try to focus on the goals I have for tomorrow. Hopefully I can come out with the win.”
If she extends her perfect winning record against Muchová, Coco Gauff will advance to the semifinals of the WTA 500 event in Stuttgart, where she will face the winner of the match between Elina Svitolina and Linda Nosková.
