When the crown becomes a burden: Gauff’s crossroads and the question of the soul

The unforgettable scene of Gauff hoisting the Suzanne Lenglen Cup on Paris’s clay courts is still fresh. However, within three months, she suffered a harsh 6-3, 6-2 loss to Naomi Osaka in the US Open third round. This one-hour match was not only a technical defeat but also a symbolic moment in Gauff’s career—after winning the French Open, she seemed trapped in an indescribable “post-championship dilemma,” where the sweetness of victory turned into a heavy burden moving forward.

The data reveals a harsh reality: after her French Open triumph, Gauff was knocked out in the first round in Berlin, eliminated early at Wimbledon, lost to Canadian newcomer Mboko in Montreal, and suffered three consecutive defeats to Boulter in Cincinnati. This disappointing streak contrasts sharply with world No. 2 Swiatek, who, after her first Wimbledon win, immediately focused on hard court training and soon claimed the Cincinnati title. These two very different choices suggest two potentially divergent career paths.

Gauff’s predicament is not unique but a classic dilemma in tennis history: after achieving the ultimate dream, how does one find new motivation? This phenomenon is known as the “champion’s syndrome”—athletes entering a phase of confusion, short or long, after a major breakthrough. The most iconic example is Serena Williams, who in 2006 was distracted by entertainment and social life, earning public criticism from tennis legend Chris Evert: “Serena has lost her love for tennis; she’s too distracted.” This wake-up call stirred Serena’s champion spirit and launched the most glorious second phase of her career.

Gauff now stands at a similar crossroads, admitting, “I put too much pressure on myself to always perform at my best.” This pressure can either fuel progress or become shackles that hold her back. The core issue is not the pressure itself, but how she answers a fundamental existential question: “What level do I want to reach in my career?”

The career decisions of professional tennis players essentially involve value trade-offs—whether to be content with past achievements and view Grand Slam titles as the pinnacle of life, or to see them as a starting point for a new journey, pursuing higher professional goals. The former embraces a philosophy of “enjoying the present,” while the latter embodies a spirit of “never being satisfied.” Neither choice is right or wrong, but they lead to distinctly different life paths.

Gauff’s struggle reflects a universal existential challenge. Psychologist Viktor Frankl once said, “When a person cannot change their situation, they face the challenge of changing themselves.” Gauff cannot alter the fact that she has won a major title, but she can choose how to interpret that achievement—as a career endpoint or as a starting line for a new journey.

For the 20-year-old Gauff, this inner journey may be more important than any match. What she needs is not a technical tweak but a profound self-dialogue: What does tennis mean to her? Is winning a title about fulfilling external expectations or realizing inner desires? Is she willing to pay the price to become a legend?

History always offers lessons but never makes choices for us. Graf, Seles, Serena—all legends faced similar decisions at some point, and their choices ultimately defined their legacies. What Gauff must understand now is that a championship can be won in a single match, but a champion’s mindset is forged through countless early morning practices and late-night reflections.

The glory on Paris’s clay is in the past, and the defeat on New York’s hard courts is history. Now Gauff stands on a more important battlefield—her inner world. Here, no coach can swing the racket for her, no fans can cheer on her behalf; only she can decide whether to let the French Open title be the peak of her career or the first stepping stone toward a greater legacy.

When a crown becomes a burden, one is either crushed by it or uses it as a foundation to build a taller tower. Gauff’s choice will not only determine her tennis career but also define her core values—why she plays and for whom. In this sense, her struggle is a universal life lesson for all who pursue excellence—after every brilliant success, do we still have the courage to reset and start anew?(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Xiao Di)