Miami Open: Coco Gauff battles imposter syndrome to reach semi-finals for first time

Coco Gauff admitted she still battles with imposter syndrome after overcoming Belinda Bencic to reach the Miami Open semi-finals for the first time.

The 22-year-old two-time Grand Slam champion is the youngest American to reach the women’s singles semi-finals at the tournament since Serena Williams in 2004 – the year Gauff was born.

Gauff, ranked fourth in the world, won four straight games after conceding a break of serve in the deciding set to close out a 6-3 1-6 6-3 victory in two hours and 15 minutes.

If Gauff reaches the final, she will overtake former world number one Iga Swiatek and move to third in the WTA rankings next week.

But following her win over Swiss 12th seed Bencic she said that she is still learning “to believe that I belong where I am”.

“I think sometimes I can get imposter syndrome and, even when they are saying my accomplishments when I walk on or during the warm-up, it doesn’t feel like me and I’m like, ‘oh, actually, you do have a good career’,” said Gauff.

“But it doesn’t feel like that sometimes. When you’re working on things, and especially with my serve, it just feels like I shouldn’t be where I am. But tennis doesn’t lie, the ball doesn’t lie, so I just have to believe myself.

“My coach has been reminding me – remember who you are, you’re a good player. They’ve been putting that into my head. At moments, I believe in it, and other moments, I don’t. I’m just trying to believe in it more.”