Coco Gauff did not have the best start to the season. In her singles stint, the young American sensation did not play at the level many expected from her. But she has found a way to come back to her utmost best. Her form going into the US Open put her as one of the favorites to win the slam. Novak Djokovic, another favorite, is quite impressed with his growth and commended Andre Agassi’s ex-coach, as his guidance has also worked on getting Gauff back in form.
This season, Gauff could not reach the final of the French Open like last year and found herself eliminated in the first round of Wimbledon. But she turned things around in the American hard court season when she won two titles. Now, many veteran players are lauding her performance and praising her return.
Novak Djokovic praises Gauff’s return to form
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Djokovic is currently on cloud nine as he has moved on to round three of the US Open. The Serbian player has returned to the country after an absence of a year and now aims to win the final slam of the year. While on the tour, a player of his experience keeps a keen eye out for young hopefuls. At the moment, the player who has caught his eye is Coco Gauff.
“Coco is on the rise. I think, you know, she’s yet to win a Grand Slam but played in the finals. She’s still young, but now Brad Gilbert on her side with the great experience of coaching some of the greats. I think things are coming together for her. She played really good tennis in Cincinnati and also she’s been playing well here. She’s got the home support, of course, which is always welcome and needed.”
He further said that her physicality has also significantly improved as she is hitting the ball very well. Additionally, he also said that she broke into the top of women’s tennis at the age of 16. Although impressive, it takes a long time for a player to become complete and actually dominate the game.
He still feels that she is making great progress. “I think she’s coming very close to that stage and that level. So I’m sure that she has very high hopes for US Open, and she should because she’s playing really well.”
The Djoker is not wrong, as Gauff has shown us some of the best tennis ever since she turned pro.
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Gauff’s improvement as a player backed by honors
The young American sensation had a rather tumultuous time in the last year. But the rank 6 found a way to overcome the areas she was lacking. Appointing new coaches prior to the grass season, she did not improve a lot. But coming into the latter hard court season, Gauff improved by a huge margin. Her new form helped her gain the Citi Open title and the Cincinnati Masters, her first Masters title.
Djokovic saw her get better step by step and is impressed at the level Gauff plays at the moment. In the US Open, she has kept her form as she beat another player who is on the rise, Mirra Andreeva, and now moves on to round three. Her abilities will now be tested at an even greater level.
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What do you make of Djokovic’s assessment? Let us know in the comments section below.
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