INDIAN WELLS, California, March 3: Tennis world number two Iga Swiatek and world number four Coco Gauff revealed they are drawing inspiration from American figure skater Alysa Liu's remarkable comeback from burnout to Olympic gold.
Liu, who retired at 16 citing burnout after the 2022 Beijing Games, returned to win gold at the recent Milano Cortina Games, ending a 20-year Olympic medal drought for American women in the event.
"I think overall what happened in figure skating was super interesting, from a psychological point of view," Swiatek told reporters. "I saw Liu winning when actually she had some troubles, like before she was burned out and she had to stop, and now she seems like everything she does, she does to have fun and to really show her amazing skills in a way that makes her happy. It's really inspiring."
Liu returned to the ice in 2024 with greater creative control over her programs and costumes, subsequently winning the world title in Boston last year.
Gauff, who entered the spotlight as a 15-year-old qualifier at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships, stated she could relate to the pressure Liu experienced. "I wouldn't say I've faced burnout, but there are times you're mentally just tired of it and you feel like you're doing stuff and you don't know why. So I definitely could relate to her whole story. I was happy to see her be that voice saying the unsaid things that athletes think but are maybe scared to say."