Rumors

Defending U.S. Open champion Coco Gauff says it’s “really cool” that Cooper Flagg has signed with New Balance and is looking forward to watching the Duke freshman during March Madness.

Newark Star-Ledger

Clutch Points: Kevin Durant in attendance at the US Open Final between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka 🍿 (via @TennisChannel) pic.twitter.com/prh33KoonN

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Coco Gauff was only two months ago embarrassingly bounced from Wimbledon in the first round. Today? Gauff’s in top form. She won the tuneup tournament in Cincinnati less than two weeks ago, toppling No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the final. At Flushing this year, she’s the best hope for the first American champion — men or women — since Sloane Stephens in 2017. The adjustment, Gauff said, was strictly mental. And it was inspired by one of her loyal fans, NBA star Jimmy Butler, who watched from courtside Wednesday as Gauff trounced Mirra Andreeva in the second round, 6-3, 6-2. “That switch I had in the last couple weeks. people think some incredible thing happened,” the sixth-seeded Gauff said. “But realistically, the two weeks between Wimbledon and the next tournament I played, nothing could have really changed that much. It was really just the mental thing. I think that’s what I learned from watching Jimmy compete over the years.”

New York Daily News

In her first-round victory, Gauff dropped the first set to veteran Laura Siegemund before grinding out an emotional victory. It lasted over three hours and Gauff complained, angrily and assertively, about Siegemund stalling. Wednesday, by comparison, was a walk in Corona Park. Butler watched approvingly. “I want her to win every single time,” he said.

New York Daily News

Jimmy Butler and Coco Gauff have spoken before and the Heat star attended Gauff's match at the Miami Open in March. Even before the NBA season ended, Butler was exuding confidence in the team's ability to make the NBA Finals despite the odds being stacked against them. "This was before [the Heat] were in the playoffs. ... He offered me tickets to see the last home game of the [regular] season," Gauff said. "Then he DM'd me a couple weeks later, asking if I wanted more tickets to see the postseason. I said, 'I won't be here. I'll be in Madrid and then Rome and then France. And then he said, OK, when we make the Finals, let me know if your family wants some tickets.”

ESPN

Coco Gauff: “So, this was before we were even in the playoffs. This is before we lost to the Hawks for the first play-in game. I just felt like I knew that -- everybody is like we have a 3% chance of making the Finals, but when he sent me that, I knew we were making the Finals because he didn't say, 'if we make the Finals,' he said, 'when we make the Finals.'" Gauff had not shared the interaction prior to the team reaching the Finals.

ESPN

Coco Gauff is once again in the French Open quarterfinals after she defeated Elise Mertens on Sunday, but tennis is not the only thing on her mind. Gauff is apparently thinking about the NBA playoffs, too. Following her win over Mertens, Gauff decided to give a prediction for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat. She took a marker and wrote “Heat in 7” on one of the TV camera lenses.

Larry Brown Sports

The Smoothie King Center in New Orleans was the meeting point of two promising American youngsters, with the 15-year-old Cori Gauff getting a chance to talk with the young NBA star Zion Williamson and receiving signed sneakers.

Tennis World USA

Marc Stein: Always catches my eye when tennis and the NBA intersect ... and league sources say that the Cavaliers are hiring Dr. Mark Kovacs -- former NCAA doubles champ who has worked with the @WTA Tour teen sensation Coco Gauff -- as the Cavs' new director of sports science

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