Coco Gauff, under pressure from Alexandra Ila, said that she could not fully relate to her situation. According to Gauff, due to becoming the first major female tennis star from the Philippines, Ila is under pressure from high national expectations.
US Open 2026: World No. 4 American tennis player Coco Gauff has said that she cannot relate to the pressure on Philippines' rising star Alexandra Ila. According to Gauff, Ila is breaking many boundaries of tennis in her country and she is under pressure of high expectations from her.
What did Gough say about Ila's pressure?
Coco Gauff, who reached the fourth round at the US Open, was asked a question about the status of Alexandra Ila. The two players have played together in doubles matches before, but Gauff said she could not fully empathize with the circumstances Ila was facing.
Gauff said that Eala is the first female player from the Philippines to overcome many significant obstacles in her country's tennis. According to him, Ila is not only faced with the challenge of performing well on the court, but also has the weight of expectations of the entire country.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Gauff said that being from America gave her the advantage of many great players and sports icons who paved the way before her and made it easier for her to move forward.
'Ila is doing for the Philippines what Pacquiao did'
Gauff compared Ila to the great Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao and said that personalities like Pacquiao have made a big mark in the sports history of the country and Ila is also doing something similar for her country in tennis.
According to Gough, when a player already has many big sports stars in his country, the path to progress at the international level is different for that player. In contrast, Ila is paving a new path for women's tennis in the Philippines.
She said that she could not relate to Ila's position in this aspect, as in the US she got inspiration from already established sporting heroes and a strong sporting heritage.
Ila created new history in Philippines
21-year-old Alexandra Ila has recently become one of the most popular tennis players in the Philippines. She created history last year at the US Open by becoming the first Filipino player to win a Grand Slam match during the Open Era.
After this, there was continuous improvement in his performance. This year Ila reached the fourth round in Wimbledon and also reached the third round in the US Open.
She faced defeat against Eva Jovic in the third round of the US Open. After the match, when she was talked about the support she received from the Philippines, she became emotional.
Hopes increased with the support of countrymen
With Ila's success, the number of Filipino flags and supporters at her matches has also increased. His popularity in the country has not been limited to just tennis fans.
Upon her return to the Philippines after Wimbledon, Ila was honored by President Ferdinand Marcos at the Malacañang Palace. This honor reflects his growing popularity in the country and the national importance of his performance.
Eala won her second WTA 125 singles title in Birmingham in June. She then won her first WTA 500 singles title at the Washington Open. These successes made her one of the fast-rising names in global women's tennis.
Big jump in world ranking too
Ila's continued success has also affected her world ranking. She has reached world number 18 player.
This achievement is also considered important for women's tennis in the Philippines. Due to Ila's success, interest in tennis has increased in her country and fans keep an eye on her every match.
This support also creates additional pressure for ELA, according to Gough. He said that from the outside looking in, it seems like the expectations on Ila are higher than any top American player.
Eva Jovic's challenge now faces Gauff
Coco Gauff's own US Open campaign also continues. Eva Jovic, who reached the fourth round by defeating Ila, will now be Gauff's opponent in the next round.
This match is also important for 22-year-old American Gauff because Jovic has caused a big upset in the tournament by defeating Ila. Gauff will now try to make it to the next round on the basis of her speed and experience.
Gauff is a two-time Grand Slam champion and is ranked fourth in the world rankings. In such a situation, there will be hopes of victory over him in the match against Jovic.
Gauff feels 'pressure of expectation of winning every match'
Gauff also admitted that she herself faces a different kind of pressure. According to him, as a top level player he is expected to win every match.
She said that she can't completely relate to the pressure of ILA, but she can understand the pressure of expecting to win in every match. This is the part in which there seems to be some similarity between the experiences of Gough and Ila.
Gauff expressed respect for Ila's performance and said that what the Filipino player is doing is remarkable. However, he reiterated that the level of national expectations placed on ELA is different from his own experience.
A new era of responsibility for Ila
Ila's rapidly increasing popularity has taken her sports career to a new phase. On one hand, she is continuously performing better in big tournaments, while on the other hand, the expectations related to her are also increasing in the Philippines.
After winning the WTA title, historic Grand Slam wins and reaching the top-20 in the world rankings, Ila is no longer just an emerging player. She has become one of the biggest hopes of women's tennis in her country.
Gough's comments point to this changing situation. According to him, Ila faces a challenge which involves handling the rising expectations of her country while delivering results on the court.
Ila's next challenge may be in another tournament or competition, but for her in the Philippines, every win is becoming more important than ordinary sporting results. This is why Gauff considers her a player who faces a different kind of pressure than herself.