Coco Gauff is finally catching the wind of her passionate fan base. She needed to come to that realization, considering she’s endured a tough period professionally this summer. Maybe she still is, but her supporters are showing their best regards to her with their typical ‘crazy-fan’ gestures. This, in turn, does wonders to boost morale for her upcoming adventure on the WTA Tour.

Ahead of the China Open campaign in Beijing, slated to commence on September 25, Gauff is on a quest for better results. Since marking her attendance at the French Open, the American star has been underwhelmed with a string of disappointing results. Not only did her Paris Olympics debut bear no fruition, but her US Open title defense was thwarted by countrywoman Emma Navarro. A shadow of her former self, desperate to move past her dropped form, Gauff arrived in Beijing in high spirits. What came next was a fan adding fuel to her motivation.

Before commencing her Asian swing in Beijing, the former World No. 1 indulged in a training session, where a plethora of fans were seen spectating the American sensation in action. As general practice calls for, the 20-year-old later signed autographs for the Chinese crowd. However, one fan took full advantage of the situation and, to much amazement, asked Gauff to sign his laptop. Naturally surprised by the unusual request, the No. 4 seed confirmed the passionate fan’s decision by asking, “You sure?” before proceeding to autograph the silver Macbook.

“You sure…? Okay!” 💻✍️

Safe to say a LAPTOP is one of the crazier items @CocoGauff has signed for a fan? 😅#ChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/jtP5icy4ZN

— wta (@WTA) September 23, 2024

For those unaware, troubles have lined up for the young talent lately. After a disastrous end to her North American hardcourt swing, Gauff decided to relieve Brad Gilbert of coaching duties. Unable to rectify her on-court struggles, the American coach was already catching flak from fans. However, luckily for the 20-year-old, a prominent personality has chimed in to offer her poignant advice.

Maria Sharapova offers advice to Coco Gauff following split with coach

Maria Sharapova became the latest name in the sport to weigh in on Coco Gauff’s recent split with Brad Gilbert as coach. The young American won her maiden Grand Slam title, the 2023 US Open, under Gilbert’s tutelage. Acknowledging the hardships of a coaching change, the Russian superstar heaped praise on Gauff’s resilience and assured her that she shouldn’t fret about such changes.

Speaking to ‘US Weekly’ in an interview, the five-time Major champion said: “I think Coco Gauff has an amazing head on her shoulders and knows that there will be changes in her team throughout the years.”

Having no coach to meet her current needs, Gauff will have to stay strong through this phase. There is no doubt that the American sensation is already in the market, hunting for a suitable replacement. Until that happens, the No. 4 seed will likely focus on digging deep in Beijing and preparing ahead of her opening-round clash on Friday, September 27.