Coco Gauff made the headlines this year after she landed her hands on her first-ever US Open title. With the win, the 19-year-old player continued her red-hot run of form. However, with the miracles that she has been pulling off at such a young age, it is certain that this will lead to comparison with former tennis greats. There have been instances when Coco has been compared to the legendary Serena Williams. Many even think that Gauff is the right heir to carry forward her legacy. But in an exclusive interview with EssentiallySports, Coco Gauff’s coach Pere Riba emphatically dismisses these comparisons.

Instead, Riba, who is new to Gauff’s team – and instrumental in her streak of success – reflected on comparisons being an inevitable thing in sports. While highlighting the teen sensation’s mindset as she looks to take her career even higher, Riba found intriguing parallels with the ATP tour as well!

Coco Gauff’s coach speaks on comparison with Serena Williams

Right off the bat, Riba acknowledges that in sports, comparisons tend to surface when an athlete exhibits exceptional talent. Over the past year, a similar thing has occurred in the ATP tour as well. The reigning Wimbledon champ, Carlos Alcaraz has unequivocally hailed as his idol, Rafael Nadal‘s successor. Pundits and fans have cropped up the same parallels between Gauff and Serena too. But Riba firmly believes that his player is forging her unique path in the tennis world through hard work and a relentless pursuit of her dreams.

“Listen. I find that people always want to compare. In sports, we have the habit of comparing when someone is really good. In the ATP tour, like right now, there’s a lot of comparison between Alcaraz and Nadal. Always they like to compare. But Coco… is working really hard and of course, dreaming big. These titles, this way how she’s playing, of course, she has to dream big, and then she has to follow her way,” said Riba in the exclusive interview.

The pressure had been mounting on Gauff ever since her incredible title runs at Cincinnati and Washington. At her home Slam, she had to deliver. “But not every single time that the expectations are there, you are gonna take it. But she knows that if she continues working hard in doing things well, I have a lot of faith that big things are going to happen,” he further continued.

READ MORE: Hit Hard by the Gravity of a ‘Full Circle Moment’ After US Open Win, Coco Gauff Turns ‘Emotional’ as She Looks Back on Her Parents’ Massive Contribution

As Gauff faced immense pressure at the US Open, Riba emphasized that not every time do high expectations result in victory. Nevertheless, he expresses faith that Gauff’s dedication and commitment will lead to significant achievements in her tennis career. With her eye ever-set on the prize and the maturity that belies her age, Coco Gauff has been primed for this moment for a long time.

Coco Gauff had a winner’s mentality since she was 11 years old

Coco Gauff, as Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou revealed, was already a star in the making when she arrived at his academy. In a video that he shared on his Instagram, Gauff was giving an interview. In it, she boldly declared that someday in the future, she was looking to get to the top and stay there for a while. Even then, she understood that it was easy to get to the top of the charts, but difficult to stay there.

At just 11, she described herself as the best in her age group. With equal reassurance, she acknowledged that there are chances she might be the toughest in higher age groups as well. Thus, this attitude from Gauff shows the passionate and purposeful mentality that drives her, as she looks to claim success in the upcoming years. With her head held high after a remarkable US Open triumph, she will be looking to continue her sensational run of form.

What does the next year hold for the teen champion? Will she chart a career-defining course? Her team and fans certainly hope so. But only time will tell.

WATCH THIS STORY: Distressing Serena Williams Reality Leaves Gaping Void That’s Nearly Impossible to Fill for Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek