Coco Gauff has stated she is ready to play at the Miami Open after having to retire from a match in her previous tournament due to an arm issue.
The world No.4 suffered a setback in Indian Wells, where she was forced to quit her match against Alexandra Eala due to a weird sensation in her arm, which she later described as a ‘firework going off inside.’ Gauff said the pain started after she hit a forehand shot, and it worsened as the match progressed. At the time, her camp linked the issue to a nerve in the area.
Gauff has since undergone an MRI to make sure there was nothing more serious to be concerned about. Although her experience of the scan wasn’t the best.
“That was the first time I took an MRI, they’re expensive, and I felt like that’s what a coffin would feel like,” Gauff told reporters on Tuesday. “It was very weird. I felt claustrophobic, so I definitely don’t want to go into one of those again.”
As for her health, the 22-year-old has the all clear to play in Miami. Although she may still experience some arm pain, but to a lesser extent. This year will be Gauff’s seventh appearance at the WTA 1000 event, which moved from Key Biscayne to Miami Gardens in 2019. Her best results have been reaching the fourth round in the last two years.
“For the most part, I will be fine playing this tournament,” she said. “I might feel it sometimes on court, but I definitely feel it less and less every day. I think the goal was to play this tournament. There was a thought of maybe skipping it, but if it wasn’t Miami I probably would skip it, but the fact that it is Miami, I really wanted to be here.”
Gauff resides in Delray Beach and sees Miami as a home tournament. She preferred to be based at home when playing the tournament and not in a hotel after trying both options.
“I have stayed at home [during the Miami Open], but also played this tournament where I’ve stayed in a hotel, and neither was better, so I don’t know. Maybe this is the year.” She explained.
Gauff is seeded fourth in Miami and will open up her campaign against either Darja Semeņistaja or Elisabetta Cocciaretto.
