Coco Gauff makes 'dominatrix' comment after setting up Aryna Sabalenka showdown

Coco Gauff made an awkward ‘dominatrix’ comment during the build-up to her Miami Open final against Aryna Sabalenka. It’s the first final of the season for Gauff, while Sabalenka is eyeing up the Sunshine Double, having triumphed at Indian Wells earlier this month.

Gauff is coming into form at the right time, given the clay swing, and by extension, the second Grand Slam of the year is just around the corner. But also because her record against Sabalenka has been impressive of late, with the American having won their previous two encounters.

As such, Gauff was quizzed on the record ahead of Saturday’s final, with a reporter making reference to the ‘daddy’ term ATP players give to an opponent if they win three games in a row. Gauff was asked if she’d say the same about Sabalenka if she beats her in the Miami Open final, following her victory over Karolina Muchova in the last four.

A back-and-forth started between the two, before Gauff eventually said: “Um, I don’t think so? We don’t have anything like that. I don’t know. I mean, guys, I feel like they’re able to just—well, I don’t know.

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"I feel a lot of American guys are a little bit on the uppier side, so they’re able to say this. But for me, I don’t think of it like that.

"I’ve also been on the other end of it, too. I mean, like Iga [Swiatek], she beat me so many times in a row, so I don’t want her to be considered my Dad. But I was able to reverse it—so now we’re both each other’s Daddies? I don’t know.

“But yeah, I don’t think there’s a term, as far as I know, among the women; maybe there is.”

When asked what the WTA equivalent might be, she said: “Yeah…I don’t think Daddy’s the term. I don’t think Mommy’s the term, either. I don’t know—dominatrix?! (laughs).

“I don’t know. But I don’t want a term, because I’m going to be—I know I have some matches where I’m on the losing end of that, too.

“So I’m just going to say it was a good day [against Muchova]. I’m lucky that, as I always say against her, I don’t know why the match-up is like this. But I’mma take it, but I don’t think it’s gonna last forever."