Ben Shelton Tips His Hat to ‘Young’ Coco Gauff With High Praise as China Open Triumph Paves Way for a Powerful Season Finish

Ben Shelton is in awe of Coco Gauff. During his 2024 US Open run, he confirmed his admiration for the player and took it a step further in his praise. While congratulating Gauff on her recent win in Beijing, Shelton left a one-word compliment that highlights Gauff’s real potential in the sport. But the question remains: Is he making a correct judgment?

Shelton had an interesting compliment for his pal, Coco Gauff. The former US Open champion secured her second singles title of the season in China, defeating Czechia’s Karolina Muchova on the Diamond Court by 6-1, 6-3. Despite struggling with her serve, Gauff had battled back from a set down in her previous three matches, winning the title through sheer resilience. After her victory, Gauff’s colleague and friend Ben Shelton complimented the WTA star.

When Coco Gauff took to Threads to share photos from the 2024 China Open trophy ceremony, Shelton reshared those images and captioned them “Young” with a goat emoji, indicating that the ATP star called his friend the new GOAT of the sport. Gauff deserved every bit of this compliment. Despite severe criticism over her serve and forehand, the WTA number six fought back to prove her worth in the sport.

Not only Shelton but Serena Williams’ former coach Rick Macci also praised Gauff, predicting something similar for the player. “She is THE ELITE athlete on tour. Olympic sprinter with a stick and cat like reflexes. 20 years old and even with a few wobbles in her forehand and serve I have ZERO DOUBT she will be number one and have the game to stay there,” he tweeted.

Ben Shelton always praised Gauff’s talent. After winning his first match at the 2024 US Open, the ATP star explained why the WTA number six is so popular, expressing his admiration for the player.

Ben Shelton called Coco Gauff “charismatic”

In his interview, Shelton had only praise for his pal. “Then, yeah, she’s charismatic, such a great athlete, so many qualities out there on the court that, you know, resemble a male player, the way that she moves, the way that she can defend. You just see something from her that’s special and different. Then obviously she plays with a lot of passion. You could tell that she cares out there. She’s into it every time that she’s on the court. I think that’s something that the people love,” he said.

Previously, Shelton and Gauff’s friendship caught attention, fueling rumors of a romance. However, Gauff denied these, expressing that their admiration for each other is based on their skill in the sport. Now, with Shelton’s latest compliment for Gauff, it’s clear his admiration for his friend has only grown over the years.

Ben Shelton’s remark for Coco Gauff showcases the support she has from her friends and colleagues on her journey. While Gauff continues to invest in hard work, such support inspires her to keep her mind focused. If she channels this encouragement as motivation, she might win another title before the season ends. Do you think she can make it?