Coco Gauff shows true colours after losing Italian Open final to Jasmine Paolini

After a tense loss in the Italian Open final, graciously praised her conqueror Jasmine Paolini despite experiencing a string of disappointing results herself. The American was beaten in straight sets by Paolini, as she continues to struggle to bounce back to her very best.

Following the defeat, Gauff showed class, saying: "Congrats, Jasmine, on this incredible achievement. You're an incredible person and player. It's always tough playing you. Good luck in the doubles final. I hope you guys can take it home." The aspiring Grand Slam champion, who briefly slipped down the WTA rankings, impressively bounced back into world No.3 after competing in Rome, despite losing to in the Madrid Open final and then again this weekend.

She added: "Jasmine played great tennis today. I think it was one of her best levels today. I also didn't play my best level. I think it's both. It's not to discredit my opponent. She forced me to play that way.

"Yeah, maybe I could have served better and put more balls in the court, could play better. I definitely could and can. But she played to win today and she deserved to win."

Gauff's return to form comes just as the French Open looms and she is determined to overcome her faltering start to the season. She continued: "I think just accepting the highs and lows. I think sometimes in sports you want to just stay on the high and kind of ride that wave, but especially with this sport, a season as long as tennis, it's impossible to always be on that high wave, and there's going to be some low moments, I think.

"Just trying to stick through those tough moments and get better through them. Not feeling like the rest of the season is going to go that way. I feel like I'm able to turn it around. It's happened before. I think it just takes one match or two matches to kind of get that confidence back.

"When you're coming off a good start to the season, you don't look to maintain it. I feel like I try to treat each part of the season in different sections. So regardless of something good or bad happens, it's a chance to reset."

Undeterred by her movement within the WTA rankings, Gauff remains focused on racking up Grand Slam wins, adding: "I've never been a rankings girl. Really, I want to just win Grand Slams.

"My dad always said, 'the number, the ranking will come with the Slams.' So I think for me, I'm looking more at winning Slams. And if I win a Slam this year and don't become number one, I will be satisfied. I'll be more satisfied than if I became number one and didn't win a Slam."

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