Coco Vandeweghe is hoping the mind games played by coach Pat Cash will pay off at the Australian Open.
The world No.10, who reached the semi-finals in Melbourne in 2017, is hoping her new-found attitude inspired by her Australian mentor will bring success at the first grand slam of the year starting on Monday.
After Vandeweghe lost in the Wimbledon quarter-finals last year, Cash convinced her to stick around while others achieved her goal.
"I usually leave on the next flight out after I lose at a grand slam," Vandeweghe told ESPN.
"But he kept me around. It was almost like him pouring salt in the wound. He kept me around there, and I was still practising, and I was seeing all these people win, and I could still hear the crowd and see the stadium. I stayed until the finals.
"Looking back on it, I could say it was (motivation), but in the moment, I was like, 'I hate every second I'm here'. He kind of likes to play Jedi mind tricks on me."
The 26-year-old started working with Cash last June and reached the semi-finals of the US Open in September.
The American, who is known for her aggressive playing style and bold personality, feels the biggest misconception about her is that she is arrogant.
"I don't find myself to be arrogant when I'm around people or even walking around, but I seem to get called arrogant. And that I don't understand.
"It doesn't make me feel great. But at the end of the day, I've never been big about what people say about me or let it really affect me ...
"When I was 13 or 14, it bothered me when people made fun of me, like any person. But I know who I am."
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