‘I Want To Get off the Court Now’ – Coco Gauff Reveals Suffering Panic Attack During Tearful US Open Moment

Coco Gauff broke down during her second-round match at the 2025 US Open, tears streaming down her face as she covered herself with a towel. The emotional moment left fans wondering what went wrong.

Now Gauff has opened up about what really happened that day, revealing it was her first panic attack on court and how it changed her perspective on tennis.

What Did Coco Gauff Say About Having a Panic Attack During Her US Open Match?
Seeded third at the New York Major, Gauff began her campaign by defeating Ajla Tomljanović with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-5 in the first round. She then faced Donna Vekić in the second round and won 7-6(5), 6-2, marking her second victory against the Croatian in their three WTA Tour encounters.

However, the match against Vekić wasn’t smooth sailing. During the first set’s ninth game, Gauff experienced a difficult moment. After double-faulting and losing her serve at 4-4, she covered her face with a towel and sobbed during the changeover while sitting courtside.

Coco Gauff in tears after getting broken at 4-4 in the 1st set against Donna Vekic at the U.S. Open.

Tough scenes…

pic.twitter.com/s79HEqiSV0

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 29, 2025

Speaking to Sky Sports, Gauff addressed her crying incident during the second-round match at Flushing Meadows as a “panic attack,” noting that it was the first time she had experienced such an event on the court.

The World No. 3 revealed that after the first set, she went to the bathroom to regroup because she wanted to get off the court and be done with the match.

“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. So, I was just trying to calm myself down and breathe in the moment. That was kind of why I went to the bathroom after that first set to reset. It was one of those moments that I wanted to get off the court right now and be over with it,” Gauff said.

A open response from Coco Gauff on dealing with a panic attack during her match with Donna Vekic ❤️ pic.twitter.com/vjaDXCY6ul

— Sky Sports Tennis (@SkySportsTennis) August 30, 2025

Gauff expressed that she “needed” the panic attack, as it opened her eyes to the support she received afterward and highlighted how much her fans care for her. She reflected on how the experience made her realize that there is much more to be “grateful” for than losing.

“I think I needed that to happen because of the support that I got afterwards. I realized how much people love me and how much I should love myself, too, in those moments. It was a learning experience and I’ll remember it for the rest of my career. I know that there’s a lot more to be grateful for than losing on a court,” she added.

After her win over Vekić, Gauff advanced to the fourth round by defeating 28th seed Magdalena Fręch with a scoreline of 6-3, 6-1 in the third round.

Who Will Gauff Face at the 2025 US Open Fourth Round?
Following her win over Fręch in the third round of the 2025 US Open, Gauff is set to face 23rd seed Naomi Osaka in the fourth round of the tournament.

Osaka began her campaign at the New York Major by defeating Greet Minnen with a score of 6-3, 6-4, and followed that with a win against Hailey Baptiste, winning 6-3, 6-1 in the first and second rounds, respectively. She secured her place in the fourth round against Gauff by triumphing over 15th seed Daria Kasatkina, with a score of 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 in the third round.

Gauff and Osaka have faced each other five times on the WTA Tour, with Gauff winning three of those matches. Their most recent encounter was in the fourth round of the 2024 China Open, where Gauff won after the former World No. 1 retired during the third set due to injury, with the score at 3-6, 6-4, 0-0 ret. Gauff then went on to defeat Karolína Muchová in the final, claiming her second WTA 1000 title and eighth career singles title.

The winner of the upcoming fourth-round match between Gauff and Osaka at Flushing Meadows will advance to face either 11th seed Muchová or 27th seed Marta Kostyuk in the quarterfinals.