Mature beyond her fifteen years with a game that can outsmart and outplay veteran WTA players and champions, Coco Gauff introduced herself as the newest WTA force as she defeated former Roland Garros champion Jelena Ostapenko in three sets today.
Just fifteen and in her first year as a pro, Gauff has now added her second WTA title, she won Washington DC Citi Open doubles with Caty Mcnally in August, a feat that considerably upstages the legendary player she is most compared to, Serena Williams, who won her first WTA title at seventeen in Paris.
Though she endured some bad results earlier this year – like a 61 61 pounding from Quin Gleason, the former Notre Dame player, in Bonita Springs, Gauff is on a headline making roll now, since her fourth round run at Wimbledon this summer, where she beat Venus Williams in straight sets.
Gauff also won rounds at the US Open before losing a tight duel to two time major champ Naomi Osaka.
Already Gauff has proved she can win most of her WTA matches, able to figure out and solve the games of successful pros with far more experience.
Gauff has the ability to quickly erase stinging losses like the one to Gleason and the one this week in qualies to Tamara Korpatsch, and then shift gears and produce her best tennis.
Just how good Gauff has the potential to become is a question that will intrigue the sport for many years to come.
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« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next »Jon King · October 18, 2019 at 11:34 am
Yes Anthony, we have also seen good and bad tennis families and coaches from all over. The Russian, Serbian, Croatian coaches are mostly no nonsense, technique to the point of being obsessive. The kids who fool around are sent packing. When a kid buys in, the discipline can lead to some amazing players.
The Spanish coaches are many times more about the relationships, keeping it more fun for the kids…and fitness. We have been to sessions where the kids spend way more time running than they do hitting balls.
Andrew Miller · October 18, 2019 at 11:37 am
ATP Stockholm:
CarrenoB d. Querrey in 3. Good win.
Shapo has a chance for semis.
Antwerp:
Sinner d. Tiafoe in 3. Sinner is good, but a young vet like Tiafoe needs to make it harder in third set. 6-3. Tiafoe’s so-so second half of year ends. Like Scoop said, he needs to bring in more people. This wasn’t the way to end the year. I’m sure Querrey will keep playing, as his year ended with a loss to a better player, no shame
Vesely is alive in a Germany challenger. I like his conventional lefty game.
Andrew Miller · October 18, 2019 at 11:45 am
Spartak model? They are obsessive on technique in the famous Russian facility, no frills, even courts in so so shape from reporting. But look at the results! What the Russians lack in terms of creativity or original play (save Kuznetsova, Spain trained, and save Medvedev, France) they more than make up for in discipline.
Aka watching Rublev, I’m sorry he doesn’t show more “tricks” or a less conventional game. It’s all bread and butter, Courier with a better backhand and a Russian name. He pounds the ball.
Put him up against Baghdatis (saw the highlights from 2018 Australian) and Baghdatis does more with the ball. A little easier on the eyes.
Always wish for things that players won’t necessarily adopt. Rublev should work on his game, but there’s no need to change – the old guard that ruled the top 100 is retiring quickly so he is safe in rankings. But if he or anyone want to do more in the sport, have to work on game.
catherine · October 18, 2019 at 12:57 pm
I doubt many WTA players ever look at the WTA site. Why should they ? I’ve always assumed it’s meant for fans.
catherine · October 18, 2019 at 1:08 pm
Penko is wiping the court with Antonia Lottner. Feel a bit sorry for Lottner as she stands alone in the NextGen of younger German women. Just nobody. Unless I’ve missed someone.
catherine · October 18, 2019 at 1:32 pm
Re German players – now Luxembourg is on I looked up to see what happened to Carina Withoeft who won in 2017, played in Fed Cup and then disappeared from sight.
Seems a bit complicated – injuries, played at AO qualifying 2019 and was fined for competing with an injury and then retiring, still talking about competing again, IG’d herself on the ski slopes earlier this year, Barbara Rittner supposedly said ‘she doesn’t work hard enough’, is too attached to her dog to want to travel, and sundry other snips….upshot is she’s not playing.
Strange. This is a girl who won a decent tournament and then maybe couldn’t cope with it. She can’t complain that there’s no support in Germany, or no role models.
catherine · October 18, 2019 at 1:57 pm
And Puig is wiping the court with Julia. Monica’s come on since she swapped coaches 🙂
Andrew Miller · October 18, 2019 at 2:22 pm
WTA:
Luxembourg
Puig leads Goerges, but Goerges is up 4-1 in second set. Goerges has done this a few times – I’d like to see Puig pull this out but her switch to Yonex makes me believe it isn’t possible. Few yield that racquet well!!! You either get used to it or it messes up your game. Winner gets Rybakina, haven’t seen her
Ostapenko vs. Blinkova in other. Can Ostapenko pull the win in Luxembourg?
Moscow:
Looks like Pavlyuchenkova vs Bencic, and Muchova vs. Kiki Mladenovic. Not a bad semi. Bencic should win, but this is a good semi all the way around assuming Pavs wins her quarter match.
Andrew Miller · October 18, 2019 at 2:45 pm
ATP Sweden – semifinals
Shapovalov vs Carreno Busta
Krajinovic vs Tipsy or Sugita. Would love to see Tipsarevic stay alive.
Antwerp
Murray likely beats Copil; may play Pella?
Wawrinka vs Sinner. Nice result for the Italian. This will be an interesting win no matter what player pulls it out.
Moscow
Rublev vs Milojevic, former junior #1 from Serbia. And a lucky loser. Great week.
Mannarino d. Lajovic, gets Rublev or the former junior no. 1.
Seppi ousts Khachanov. Wow!!!
Cilic d. Chardy. Chardy…always part of the groom’s team.
Vegas challenger
Nice draw shaping up
Pops vs Taro Daniel
Kozlov vs Duckworth
Steve Johnson vs Escobedo
Giron vs an Aussie, O’Connell
China challenger
Klahn! Interesting choice to play China. But doing well there, a semifinal. Nice to see him doing well. I still hope he works on his backhand. It never got back to the level he had it in his championship year at Stanford when he won the NCAA singles crown.
Andrew Miller · October 18, 2019 at 2:49 pm
Goerges now returning favor to Puig. This is kind of match that Puig, having pulled out a 7-6 miracle in third set yesterday, has to stay in, for her own self confidence. She went from a first set wipeout to being down in set three as Goerges remembered she was defending champ.
Still amazed at the small Luxembourg facility. But probably better to sell out a very small arena with a few thousand souls than to undersell a stadium.
catherine · October 18, 2019 at 3:29 pm
Julia bts Puig. One of those matches where Julia seems to cram a whole tournament into 3 sets.
Hartt · October 18, 2019 at 3:43 pm
In Stockholm actually it will be Shapo vs the winner of Tipsy vs Sugita, who are in a decider now. PCB will play Krajinovic. I hope Denis does make it to the final. He has a long history of losing SF matches. If he does end up facing PCB in the final, that will be a tough match for him. PCB is one of those steady, consistent players who can give Denis a lot of trouble.
It wasn’t easy, but Andy finally defeated Copil, who served very well in that match.
Scoop Malinowski · October 18, 2019 at 7:45 pm
Looks like Shap has a good shot at his first title.
Scoop Malinowski · October 18, 2019 at 7:47 pm
Catherine, Puis “wiping the court” with Georges is too aggressive and violence promoting language, please soften that inflammatory terminology, someone might get offended 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · October 18, 2019 at 7:49 pm
At tournaments the dad would go nuts if he felt his girl was being cheated. He got banned from a few tournaments. Twice he ran onto the court and dropped the F bomb on his daughter’s opponents…and they were 10 years old!
This is very funny 🙂
Andrew Miller · October 19, 2019 at 12:06 am
Tipsarevic plays his last match. Always like Tipsy. So solid. Excellent at analyzing the sport. Hope he comes back as a coach. I’ll forever refer to him as the man that stole Roddick’s mojo.
Jon King · October 19, 2019 at 12:19 am
Scoop, picture Ivan Drago from the Rocky movies, but in his late 40s. Thats about what the Serbian dad looks like. Nicest guy in the world off the court, very popular wedding photographer, a people person. But when he would watch his girls play tennis he became a raving lunatic!
Its probably good that they quit tennis before someone got hurt or arrested.
jackson · October 19, 2019 at 5:53 am
Different topic. Rafa’s big day is finally here. Woot!! The guests are starting to arrive for the ceremony. The king and queen will be arriving by helicopter shortly.
A bunch of tennis players and other rich and famous guests got there yesterday and are staying in the luxury hotels next to the private controlled site where the wedding will take place – Pico, Feli, David, Pablo have been photographed. The place is swarming with tv cameras and paparazzi so there are a few photos getting out even though Rafa and Mery have tried so hard to keep it all private. Looking forward to seeing pics of Rafa and Mery!
Hartt · October 19, 2019 at 8:13 am
With the various opinions about Coco, I thought it was very interesting to read what Robert Lansdorp had to say.
“Lansdorp said: “I’m not going to say she will win 25 Grand Slam titles.
But Gauff has all the qualities that make a great, great player. The fact that she loves to fight, that she has that discipline, concentration and focus — those are huge pluses at a time when so many of the other WTA players just can’t find the consistency to win steadily.”
He added: “Her speed is a great advantage. Serena [Williams] had more power when she came on the scene, but Gauff is already a great defensive player. She’s so fast that it’s tough to (hit) a winner against her, and she already has that talent for going from defense to offense very quickly.” (Tennis World)
catherine · October 19, 2019 at 9:00 am
Naomi is also pretty fast. I’d like to see a few match-ups between the two. Honestly, Coco has not yet played enough against the top players to warrant these encomiums. May all come true, may not. I’d rather wait and see. Landsdorp makes it sound as though the other WTA players are just rubbish.
It’s interesting that in my day covering tennis you never heard this ‘defense to offense’ terminology. It’s come from American football probably. Used to be just tennis, which combines those strategies as part of the game, executed often in the same point. I just can’t find myself thinking like that.
catherine · October 19, 2019 at 9:05 am
Bencic wins in Moscow v Kiki M and takes the 8th and final spot in Shenzhen.
Hartt · October 19, 2019 at 9:18 am
The players for Shenzhen:
Ash, Ka, Naomi, Simona, Bianca, Petra, Elina and Belinda.
With neither Serena nor Konta going, the alternates likely will be Bertens and Kenin.
Andrew Miller · October 19, 2019 at 9:52 am
Alex Volvov has passed away. In reading the ATP write up, I hardly knew about him! My dad loved him because of his precision on court, lining up a big lefty serve and sweeping through his groundies. I had no idea that, somewhat similar to Nadal, Volkov was not left handed, and began as a right handed player. Following an accident he switched to playing left handed. That shows quite a lot of determination, re-earning the whole game playing lefty.
https://www.atptour.com/en/news/alexander-volkov-obituary-2019
Andrew Miller · October 19, 2019 at 9:52 am
Alex Volkov. Sorry.
https://www.atptour.com/en/news/alexander-volkov-obituary-2019
Hartt · October 19, 2019 at 10:08 am
Muchova vs Pavlyuchenkova is in a decider. Not all the match has been super entertaining, but every once in a while there is a great point. In one, both women made some fine volleys and Pavs made a perfect lob, finishing the point with a terrific smash.
This is the kind of variety we keep looking for in the WTA.
Hartt · October 19, 2019 at 10:44 am
Pavs was the deserving winner of that match. She played very well and totally dominated the decider. I hope she can win her home tourney. Maybe Sam Sumyk will prove to be the right coach for her.
She will face Bencic in the final.
catherine · October 19, 2019 at 10:50 am
Hartt – I imagine Sam will have an easier time with Pavs. I’ve never seen her be rude to anyone – and she’s 28, bit more mature than Garbine I’d say.
Like you, I hope she wins – it’s going to be a contrast in style v Belinda.
Hartt · October 19, 2019 at 11:09 am
Pavs speaks French, so Sumyk talked to her in French during the OCC. That must make things easier.
I liked Garbine when she first came on the scene, but got turned off by her behaviour. As you said, Pavs likely is more mature. If she can be more consistent she should do well, because she is certainly capable of very good tennis.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching both Pavs and Ka2 (as we’ve dubbed her on MCM) hitting some fine volleys. Muchova made some on the run, when she was totally stretched out. Both women will come in, and they have good technique on their volleys.
Scoop Malinowski · October 19, 2019 at 11:34 am
Federer invited to Rafa wedding? Any chance this hand wrist injury is another fakeroo? 🙂
Scoop Malinowski · October 19, 2019 at 11:37 am
Landsdorp knows his tennis. Could it be possible Gauff’s greater defensive skills combined with a little less power than Serena, could be an even superior tennis machine than Serena? It’s possible. Stay tuned… Gauff is proving clearly she is superior to Serena at a similar age, her early WTA results speak volumes. Now it’s a matter of continuing to develop at a consistent progressive rate.
Scoop Malinowski · October 19, 2019 at 11:38 am
I think the defense to offensive aspect became prevalent during Lleyton Hewitt’s reign at the top. He was the best defensive player of all time.
Jon King · October 19, 2019 at 12:14 pm
I do not know why female tennis players around the world continue to train when it is all so pointless. Seems to me with Gauff on the scene the rest of the players would just sell their racquets and find alternate jobs.
catherine · October 19, 2019 at 1:58 pm
Just caught up with highlights – some great net rallies between Pavs and Muchova – I wonder how many other women have those talents lying hidden and unused because they are so seldom called for ?
I think Penko has a chance in L’bourg. Julia’s game depends so much on her serve and she’s also wearing patching on her right leg – so Jelena should get her into long rallies with lots of lobs.
Andrew Miller · October 19, 2019 at 3:01 pm
Hartt thanks for correcting me re the schedule of matches. I made the mistake of believing that the scoreboard on tennis.com was like a tournament draw and got all the matchups wrong including Shapo-Sugita and all women’s matches!
That said and looking at the scoreboard now – Shapo and Pops both have a chance to nab titles, at ATP and challenger levels respectively. I’m glad Shapo made his final and we’ll see if he can get the upper hand against Krajinovic.
Rublev vs Mannnarino in Moscow – Rublev getting a nice win in front of a home crowd in taking out Cilic, and Mannarino very fine tournament.
Murray and Wawrinka both turn back the clock in Antwerp and downed the next gen hopes their. They knocked out the weaker next gen aka promising yet lower ranked chaps.
Hartt · October 19, 2019 at 3:09 pm
Andrew, I was going to post those results, but you were quicker!
My computer acted up during Shapo’s match, so I missed most of it, so was very relieved to see he won the 2nd set handily, after causing concern in the first. Someone posted that Grigor won his first ATP title in Stockholm a few years ago, and then Stefanos got his first title there last year. So I hope the pattern continues for Denis.
I am not a Mannarino fan, especially because he is mean to ball kids. But beyond that, it would be great if the Russian youngster could win his home tourney.
Andrew Miller · October 19, 2019 at 3:09 pm
WTA wow, Pavs totally owned Muchova in the final set. I think the Moscow tournament was definitely a billboard for “hey some wta players think out there!”. I like these two players games. I think either will and would have hands full with Bencic, who had been there and done that
In Luxembourg Goerges vs Ostapenko. I’ll say it again, the best way to get the bitter taste of last week’s three set loss to Gauff is to win, and Ostapenko has done that. Goerges clearly is driven to defend the title. I’d give Goerges a good chance to serve Ostapenko out of Luxembourg, just because she is playing with hunger. But Ostapenko has demonstrated she bounces back, so she no doubt determined (more Tignor prose for you…never judge just describe what is possible haha!).
And of course McCoco winning dubs. File that under “filling confidence tank”. Both young players recognizing winning helps confidence. For a bad singles week this is good for both of them.
Andrew Miller · October 19, 2019 at 4:33 pm
re: mindless b.b., saw some from junior men also (Pan Am boys final up on YouTube). The players have big weapons, huge serves, huge groundstrokes. Strategy? Not so much 🙁
They could learn a lot from watching the Kremlin Cup women’s tournament.
Andrew Miller · October 19, 2019 at 4:36 pm
Hartt, no offense to Mannarino, who has a versatile lefty game, but I’d like to see Rublev win his hometown also. In Stockholm I’d like to see Shapo pull it out too. Of course not how tennis works, they both will need to gut these matches out!
Hartt · October 19, 2019 at 5:18 pm
I will send positive thoughts for both Rublev and Shapo. They both deserve to win the titles tomorrow. I know, I know, that isn’t how tennis works! But I can hope for the best.
Andrew Miller · October 19, 2019 at 6:45 pm
That’s ok Hartt. I feel guilty for silently hoping Nadal would win his Medvedev final. Then afterwards said why am I doing this, this guy is putting every molecule in his being into the match. Watching the Muchova Pavs match I like both players and was hoping Muchova would pull it out but Pavs raised her game a mile high and was the better player by far in set three as Muchova ran out of steam. Credit Pavs!
I think Pavs plays more like Agassi than Giorgi does. Her game mimicks the great shotmaker almost to a tee
Hartt · October 20, 2019 at 8:36 am
Pavs vs Bencic is underway in Moscow. My TV channel is actually covering it live, a rare treat.
Pavs just missed an easy volley to allow a Bencic hold, but Pavs is up a break in the first set and leads 3-2.
Scoop Malinowski · October 20, 2019 at 8:45 am
Kiki and Bencic used to be great friends four years ago, hanging out together at Citi Open, playing doubles together, watching Zverev play in the stands together, on an outer court, Zverev was still a teen then. But yesterday’s match showed Bencic and Kiki are no longer friends, there was no warmth between them at all. Wonder where it went cold?
catherine · October 20, 2019 at 10:27 am
Penko flattens Julia and Bencic bts Pavs. Didn’t see either match but surprised at L’Bourg – Julia must have been below par but all credit to Penko for taking advantage.
Jon King · October 20, 2019 at 10:30 am
Scoop, the girls are hilarious with their hot and cold stuff so its no surprise Bencic and Kiki would go from buddies to cold.
The junior girls are epic at this….play doubles with this girl, best buddies, get to talking to another girl and exchange numbers, become text buddies, switch doubles partners dumping the last partner, one looks at same boy as other, goes and watches his match, gets mad at the other girl who also shows up for the match…and on and on.
Tennis can in some ways be an extended version or a substitute for high school.
Andrew Miller · October 20, 2019 at 10:51 am
Ostapenko’s triumph is like Listerine, she gets the bad taste of losing last week to Gauff in Linz out of her life and shows she’s hungry. Nice two weeks. Same for Gauff with McNally in keeping that confidence up; two weeks two trophies.
Congratulations to Bencic and Ostapenko. And good job by Goerges and Pavs. I thought Pavs might be able to shake Bencic, but Bencic has been playing all week like a person possessed – did anyone see her post Mladenovic celebration? I don’t think there’s bad feelings here, the net conversation was good. It wasn’t Giorgi non handshake or anything.
Jubilation making the WTA year end for a fine player in Bencic. Sorry Pavs lost again! Pavlyuchenkova has had an excellent run the last few weeks.
I have really enjoyed the post US open women’s tour more than the guys (maybe from watching more of it, my own bias herr as of late). I appreciate the Ostapenko fight, the Gauff defense last week, the Ostapenko momentum after defeat, Goerges combos, the Pavlyuchenkova power game with intelligence, the very very fine strategist in Muchova, on and on. Cirstea too. Even the Giorgi fired up game…which falls apart as she hits approach shots to opponent wheelhouses (head scratcher…she can’t do this and expect to win titles).
Was there some mindless play? Yes, but these players showed sound strategy and good fight. Even Mladenovic was thinking out there. Good tennis, good last few weeks.
I was also thankful for the announcing at the Moscow tournament, the WTA feed in particular had some very good details on each match, finding the right words to describe the sequences. The announcers weren’t veering off into their Glory days or anything, they stayed with thr action and the action was good.
Andrew Miller · October 20, 2019 at 10:52 am
Maybe Dan could learn from Muchova. I am trolling Dan here. His son may appreciate how she plays as a giant killer on court…
Andrew Miller · October 20, 2019 at 10:55 am
Bad sportsmanship always stinks. Don’t expect Giorgi to be picked for sportsmanship award of the year in her lifetime. Always upset, always sour. She may not enjoy the sport.
Hartt · October 20, 2019 at 10:58 am
Shapo just won his first title, defeating Krajinovic in Stockholm! Denis won 6-4, 6-4. He had a great serving day, with 16 aces and 3 DFs! His first serve % was just 56%, but he won 93% of first serve points.
He returned pretty well also, and won 6/8 BPs.
Last fall was pretty much a disaster for him, so he has just 10 point to defend now. Neither his mother nor Youzhny was there, just his trainer. I imagine his mother is busy with her tennis academy this time of year.
So I am VERY happy. This means a treat – apple pie and cheddar cheese, I think. 🙂
catherine · October 20, 2019 at 11:04 am
Congrats to Shapo 🙂
And to Marion Bartoli, coach of the year.
Don’t know what happened to Julia. Uncharacteristic performance.
Hartt · October 20, 2019 at 12:04 pm
Catherine, thanks. My twitter is full of GIFs of the last point and Shapo dropping his racquet, and of the youngster holding up that heavy trophy.
Yes, that was a surprise about Julia. It does look like Bartoli is making an impact with Ostapenko. It will be interesting to see if that continues.