Coco Gauff says there was "no real loss" in Miami Open final defeat

Coco Gauff made no secret over the last two weeks that she wanted to win the Miami Open almost as much as a Grand Slam.

And even though she ultimately fell just short of that goal against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday, the American was only taking positives away from her deepest-ever run at her hometown tournament, at the home of her beloved Miami Dolphins.

Read more: Aryna Sunshine Double-enka! Sabalenka beats Coco Gauff to complete Indian Wells-Miami sweep

"Although it sucks to not come out with the bigger trophy today, I had a lot of joy this week," Gauff said in her runner-up speech. "That’s something I’m taking away from this the most. I was getting a little emotional on the bench, but not sad tears. I’m just having two weeks of gratitude."

Speaking to reporters after the match, Gauff opened up on the "mindset shift" that fueled her run—especially considering some members of her team advocated that she not play the event after retiring from the BNP Paribas Open with an arm injury.

Q.  On the court, you mentioned you were emotional, spoke about your joy earlier. You said they weren't sad tears you had. Is that like a strategy where you're trying not to talk down to yourself? Is there a moment you noticed previously in your career where you were doing that and you kind of wanted to experience more joy during your play?

COCO GAUFF: Yeah, I think I can talk down on myself, and things like that, but in that moment, you know, an athlete that I was inspired by at the Winter Olympics, Alysa Liu, and I had the mindset today that regardless of what happened, you lose, but there is no real loss in the situation.

I was just looking at my box and seeing all my family and friends and hearing them in the crowd, and I know how much they supported me just to be on this stage, so I was just thinking more gratitude and things like that.

It is a mindset shift, because obviously as soon as you lose a final, it's tough. I'm, like, thinking about -- you could see on the bench before, I was just thinking about the match and replaying all the points. Then after, it's over, you just learn from it.

Yeah, I'm grateful, because I didn't think to be here and I'm here, and I know I can repeat this and come home with a bigger trophy, and I feel confident in that.

Ultimately, Gauff said, her effort at Hard Rock Stadium was an example of the success that comes for her when she swaps preoccupation with the destination with enjoyment of the journey.

"I think I can be a very results-based person at times, and will revolve my life around if it's going good or not based on my tennis," she said. "I don't think that's healthy just because there are going to be good times and bad times

" I think this week I started off with just minimum goals, which was just to win that second set of that first match [against Elisabetta Cocciaretto]. I think when you focus on the little goals along the way, obviously you have the grand goal, then things become a lot easier.

"I feel like sometimes in the past, especially when I've played tournaments, maybe I have never played well here, but when I have played tournaments that I'm defending or things like that, I think in the first round I think I'm thinking about the final. This week I wasn't doing that, and I think it's something I can take on into [the next] tournaments."