Gauff warns the competition: "I feel stronger than ever".

Coco Gauff finished the 2024 season on a high note. With a title at the Beijing Masters 1000 followed by a WTA Finals crown in Riyadh, the American has established herself firmly in the WTA top 3, just behind her two rivals, Aryna Sabalenka and Iga Swiatek.

A semi-finalist in Melbourne last year, Gauff will be doing her utmost to add a second Grand Slam title to her trophy cabinet.

Present at the press conference, the 20-year-old feels at the height of her powers.

"Today, I feel much better than when I won the US Open, no doubt about it. I don't think I played my best tennis there, I'd say Cincinnati (in 2023) was my best tournament.

Now I feel stronger than ever. I've come to realize what it means to win, or even to lose.

As athletes, as soon as we lose, we feel like it's the end of the world, so when we win, we should also be grateful.

But I realize that nothing really matters in the end. If I can walk off the court and say to myself that I did the best I could, that's what's important," she began.

"I still have a few more tools to put in place to work well. I know I have to go after my shots, accept the fact of missing certain shots and take risks.

I used to feel that I won a lot of matches by just bringing the ball back, but I've realized that's not the way I play that will lead me to lasting success.

The girls are hitting harder and harder every day, they're even more aggressive. I have to be able to be aggressive too, but also to run around the court.

Against Iga, power doesn't matter, you know you're going to have to run a bit no matter what. But that's not just true against Iga, it's also true against all the other players.

The circuit has more depth, and you have to be able to play your game, whether you're playing against the world number 1 or the 100th-ranked player", concludes Gauff, who will open her first Grand Slam of the season at the Australian Open against Kenin.