Miami Open: Coco Gauff battles imposter syndrome to reach semi-finals for first time

Coco Gauff admitted she nonetheless battles with imposter syndrome after overcoming Belinda Bencic to reach the Miami Open semi-finals for the first time.

The 22-year-old two-time Grand Slam champion is the youngest American to reach the ladies’s singles semi-finals on the event since Serena Williams in 2004 – the yr Gauff was born.

Gauff, ranked fourth on this planet, gained 4 straight video games after conceding a break of serve within the deciding set to shut out a 6-3 1-6 6-3 victory in two hours and quarter-hour.

If Gauff reaches the ultimate, she is going to overtake former world primary Iga Swiatek and transfer to third within the WTA rankings subsequent week.

But following her win over Swiss twelfth seed Bencic she stated that she remains to be studying “to believe that I belong where I am.”

“I think sometimes I can get imposter syndrome and, even when they are saying my accomplishments when I walk on or during the warm-up, it doesn’t feel like me and I’m like, ‘oh, actually, you do have a good career,'” stated Gauff.

“But it doesn’t feel like that sometimes. When you’re working on things, and especially with my serve, it just feels like I shouldn’t be where I am. But tennis doesn’t lie, the ball doesn’t lie, so I just have to believe myself.

“My coach has been reminding me – keep in mind who you might be, you are a good participant. They’ve been placing that into my head. At moments, I consider in it, and different moments, I do not. I’m simply attempting to consider in it extra.”