Coco Gauff says she’s relishing the journey, "not the moment" after AO heartbreaker

In a rematch of their US Open final, world No. 4 Coco Gauff bowed out to defending champion Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets, 7-6 (2), 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena, a disappointing end for the 19-year-old's final Grand Slam match as a teenager.

The pair’s blockbuster semifinal lived up to its hype as a high-quality affair, with Gauff telling press afterward she felt she played better than in their US Open clash—but still found herself outclassed by a defending champion who had improved by leaps and bounds since their last meeting.

“She served better, she made less errors, but also, I feel like I played a little bit more aggressive this time. The US Open, I felt like, wasn't a great match for me. Yes, I won, (but) I think I played better tonight,” Gauff reflected.

“A lot of positives to take. Today I didn't feel like I played bad, I just felt there were certain points that I just didn't win.”

After the match, Sabalenka revealed that her biggest takeaway from their US Open meeting was to not play passively and always be the one to dictate rallies. She also spent “the whole preseason” working on approaching the net in order to shut down rallies and avoid battling Gauff from baseline.

Gauff said she’s got her homework cut out for her too, after Sabalenka narrowed Gauff’s lead in their head-to-head to 4-3.

“I wish I could have made more first serves. I think that was the difference,” Gauff assessed. “She had a higher first-serve percentage, and it's tough to also go for the second when you double-faulted a couple times… On my second serve, I kind of found it more in the second set trying to place it better… I was just hitting it right to her forehand, and so she knew where it was going every single time.

“So I think I want to work on that in the future.”

WATCH: Coco Gauff "really proud" as Grand Slam teenage era closes in Melbourne

Even still, Gauff, who turns 20 on March 13, said she wouldn’t change a thing about her Grand Slam “journey” as her last days of teen phenom status are fast approaching:

Q: How do you reflect on your time in Slams as a teenager? Are you satisfied with how far you've gone in majors in that span?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I tend to be hard on myself, so I feel like today I was, like, dang. But I think looking back overall (at) this stage of my life, it was obviously a successful time.

I saw a stat that I think I'm up there with Serena (Williams) and (Jennifer) Capriati with the (match) wins at Slams. I saw that and it made me feel… I don't know, I just feel like I look at the glass half empty, so I'm negative. Then I looked at that stat and I'm like they had great careers. So I'm in the right direction, I just have to remind myself of the journey and not so much the moment.

I am really proud of myself. I did want to win a Slam as a teenager, and I did that. Obviously today I was hoping to get No. 2, or at least give myself a chance to get No. 2. It didn't happen, but I feel like I'm there.

Hopefully I can go only upwards from here.

I did want to win a Slam as a teenager, and I did that. Obviously today I was hoping to get No. 2… It didn't happen, but I feel like I'm there. Coco Gauff after AO semifinal exit

Gauff had a chance to become the new WTA world No. 2 with a win on Thursday, but that ranking will now stay with Sabalenka who is into her second consecutive final in Melbourne. The Belarusian will face No. 12 seed Zheng Qinwen for her second Grand Slam title—Sabalenka won their only previous meeting 6-1, 6-4 at last year’s US Open.

The American will be back in action at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open, a WTA 1000 event in Doha that begins February 11.