Coco Gauff’s bid to win her first major came to an end at Wimbledon, but the exuberant American teen still has the Olympics and US Open ahead of her this season.
Coco Gauff first arrived at Wimbledon in 2019 largely unknown by mainstream sports fans. She left it a global superstar, known simply by one name, thanks to her improbable run to the fourth round as well as her exuberance and endearing interviews. Having since skyrocketed up the rankings to No.23 in the world and coming off of her first major quarterfinal appearance at last month’s French Open, the now-17-year-old faced high expectations in her first return trip to the All England Club. After losing a heartbreaker against eventual champion Barbora Krejcikova at Roland Garros last month, Gauff said she believed the sting of the defeat would one day make her a Grand Slam champion. After three straight-sets victories to open Wimbledon and with the absence and early exits of many top players, many wondered if Gauff’s words would come to fruition in London, and she was a favorite among some oddsmakers to win the title. How many tennis players will win an ESPY? Cast your votes today. Best Athlete, Women’s Sports • Naomi Osaka in the final four Best Athlete Men’s Tennis • Can anyone challenge Djokovic? Best Athlete Women’s Tennis • Osaka, Vika, Kenin or Barty? Angelique Kerber, the 2018 Wimbledon champion, dashed those dreams Monday with a 6-4,6-4 victory, but Gauff remains one of the most promising and recognizable young talents in tennis and will now bring her surging momentum and increasing self-assurance to the hard-court season, starting with the Tokyo Olympics later this month. « I’m capable of competing with high-level players and players who have won Grand Slams in the past, » Gauff said Monday. « [Going] into [the] Olympics, I’m super confident. I feel like I’m [right] there. » Gauff clinched the fourth and final berth on the U.S. Olympic roster after her strong showing in Paris, but with Serena Williams and Sofia Kenin having relinquished their spots, Gauff now is the team’s second-ranked player and will be playing singles and doubles.
