With Eastbourne's courts situated a stone's throw from the sea, the windy conditions were tough and Gauff wanted extra time to feel the ball on her strings. But her reasons for getting back on court so quickly also reflected the reality of this fleeting grass season, which is only three weeks long prior to the start of Wimbledon, meaning every second spent on the surface counts.
"I'm still trying to get used to grass," said Gauff, laughing. "It's the toughest surface I think to adjust to because the season is so short, that you better get it together quick or you're not going to get together until next year." Despite her urgency, Gauff is a player who has adjusted well to the grass. It was four years ago at Wimbledon she made her senior debut on the surface, winning six matches as she reached the fourth round from qualifying at 15 years old.
For many others, adapting to moving on the slick surface, the low bounces and varied tactics, can be extremely difficult. Most players do not enjoy competing the week before a grand slam tournament, a week ideally reserved for fine tuning their play and ensuring they do not overexert themselves or pick up an injury. At the beginning of this week, however, the desire for more practice was reflected in eight of the top 10 women signing up for Eastbourne. A ninth, the world No 1 Iga Swatek, was competing in Bad Homburg, Germany.
Denne historien er fra June 29, 2023-utgaven av The Guardian.
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Denne historien er fra June 29, 2023-utgaven av The Guardian.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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