The Human Side of Greatness

There is a clear difference between mental performance and mental health. Our goal is to offer mental health resources for athletes eventually, for now though, we are covering Coco's US Open story from a mental performance perspective. 

Some weeks in sports give you more lessons than an entire season. Coco Gauff’s U.S. Open run has been one of those weeks.

Across three moments—raw emotion, steady composure, and honest reflection—Coco showed us what it means to be human, to reset, and to grow.

“I just showed people what it’s like to be human.”

In her own words, Coco admitted she felt the worst she’s ever felt on a court. A panic attack, visible tears, and the weight of expectation crashing in.

But what came after mattered most: “I think it’s more about how you get up after those bad moments and how you show up after that.”

This is Mental Shift in real time—acknowledging struggle, then bouncing forward.

In her very next match, Coco looked different—looser, more present. On court after her third-round win, she admitted:

“It’s been an emotional week… I was putting so much pressure on myself, but I’m really out here just trying to enjoy it and not focus so much on results but the process.”

That shift is the heart of Process Over Results—letting go of the weight of expectation and choosing to find joy in the game itself.

She also pointed to the role of her environment: “I can’t put into words how privileged I feel to walk on this court and have the support of all of you guys… just having someone say that they’re rooting for you, like every five steps I walk into this place, means a lot to me.”

It’s a reminder that support fuels resilience. No athlete truly goes it alone.

After that win, Coco opened up more deeply about what had happened in the second round. “I think it was a panic attack. I’ve had them before off-court, but it was the first time that happened to me on the court.”

She explained her reset:

“I was just trying to calm myself down and just breathe in the moment… I went to the bathroom after that first set to reset.”

But the breakthrough wasn’t just tactical—it was emotional: “I realized how much people love me and how much I should love myself too in those moments. So, I think it was a learning experience and I’ll remember it for the rest of my career.”

That perspective was reinforced by Simone Biles, who shared advice after the match: “She was just giving me a lot of advice and really just telling me to go out there and enjoy it and just be calm in the moments and reminding myself to fill my tank.”

Coco described herself as a sponge in that moment—absorbing wisdom from an athlete who has carried similar weight. That’s Mental Shift, Self-Talk, and Consistency all at once: acknowledge the pressure, reset the voice inside your head, and keep showing up.

Coco’s week showed us the heart of mental training—shifting forward after tough moments, trusting the process, resetting your inner voice, and showing up again the next day. Keep building those tools inside Season Zero and Season One.