5 best matches that defined Coco Gauff's career ft. Remarkable Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka beatings
Coco Gauff has been one of the brightest names in women's tennis to take the court in the last 5 years. The 20-year-old American has taken the sport by storm and already achieved success that many established players have yet to attain.
Gauff made her professional debut at the tender age of 14. However, her early days showed the spark that she had. Today, she is a Grand Slam champion, a multiple title winner on the WTA circuit, and the World No. 3.
Let's look at some of the best matches of her career.
#5 Coco Gauff vs Venus Williams, 2019 Wimbledon
A 15-year-old Coco Gauff made the headlines when she qualified for the main draw for the 2018 Wimbledon Championships, making her the youngest to do so. The American teenager had shown great form in the qualifying rounds as he toppled the top seed, Aliona Bolsova, in the first round of qualifying.
In the first round of the main event, Gauff was slated to face a former World No. 1 and five-time Wimbledon Champion, Venus Williams. The match was a true battle of generations.
Gauff did not let go of this opportunity as she displayed her talent on one of the biggest stages in tennis, winning against Williams in straight sets. The win catapulted her to fame and created a swell of support for her.
She went on to win two more matches, winning against Magdalena Rybarikova and Polona Hercog, and reached the fourth round. The American teen's run came to an end here at the hands of the eventual champion, Simona Halep.
#4 Coco Gauff vs Jelena Ostapenko, 2019 Linz Open
Building up on her Wimbledon success in 2019, Coco Gauff made some decent progress in other events, but nothing eye-catching. At the Linz Open, she lost to Tamara Korpatsch in the qualifiers but entered the main draw as a lucky loser.
What followed was the teenager's first final run of her WTA career. She reached the summit clash, winning against the likes of Stefanie Vogele, Kateryna Baindl, Kiki Bertens, and Andrea Petkovic.
In the final, the American faced off against the 2017 French Open champion and a top 10 player, Jelena Opstapenko. However, in her first career final, Gauff hit the ground running, winning the first set. The seasoned Latvian opponent responded by winning a dominant second set. The 15-year-old then kept her composure to clinch the match in the third set, winning her maiden career title.
#3 Coco Gauff vs Iga Swiatek, 2023 Cincinnati Open
Coming into the semifinal against Iga Swiatek at the 2023 Cincinnati Open, Gauff trailed 7-0 against the Polish opponent. The rivalry was so one-sided that Gauff had not won a single set against the then World No. 1 in their seven previous encounters.
Coming into the match, Gauff was in good form. The American had won a WTA 500 title in Washington and had shown good form in Cincinnati. She won her earlier rounds against Mayar Sheriff, Linda Noskova, and Jasmine Paolini to reach the last four to face Swiatek who was the top seed.
Gauff won a tight first set in the tiebreaker, her first set against the Pole in eight meetings. Even though the top seed won the second, Gauff was able to ride on her confidence and close the match out in the third set. This win gave her an immense boost as she won the title, winning against Karolina Muchova in the final.
#2 Coco Gauff vs Zheng Qinwen, 2024 WTA Finals
2024 was an up-and-down season for Coco Gauff. She started the year off well with a title in Auckland and two Major semifinals at the Australian Open and the French Open. However, her form dipped from Wimbledon which saw the American crash out from the early round of tournaments. This led her to hire a new coach Matt Daly.
The change in results was all too visible as he won the WTA 1000 event in Beijing and qualified for the WTA Finals for the third consecutive year. Gauff was in masterful form as he dispatched players like Jessica Pegula, Iga Swiatek, and Aryna Sabalenka to reach the finals, where she met Zheng Qinwen.
In what was a contender for the match of the year, Gauff and Zheng battled it out on the court in Riyadh for three hours. Despite losing the first set, the 20-year-old showed steely resolve, and completed a remarkable comeback victory, winning the second-biggest title of her career.
#1 Coco Gauff vs Aryna Sabalenka, 2023 US Open
Coco Gauff entered the 2023 US Open in tremendous form. She had won titles in Washington and Cincinnati and was the sixth seed in New York, with home hopes pinned on her.
Gauff did not disappoint her fans as she reached her second Major final of her career with wins over the likes of Laura Siegemund, Mirra Andreeva, Elise Mertens, Caroline Wozniacki, Jelena Ostapenko, and Karolina Muchova. This set up a clash with second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
In a packed Arthur Ashe Stadium, it was the Belarusian who made a dream start in the final, winning the first set. With so much pressure on her, the 19-year-old could have crumbled. However, what followed was a remarkable comeback from the American player. With the raucous New York crowd behind her, she won the match in three sets and won her maiden Major title.