feature-image
feature-image

Did someone just compare Coco Gauff with the tennis legend, Martina Navratilova? Recently, the former American tennis player Zina Garrison talked about the similarities she found between the tennis legend and the rising 18-year-old superstar. Arguably, Navratilova never shied away from using any of her opportunities to bring about a change on and off the tennis court while creating a stand of her own. Similarly, the rising American sensation also knows the importance of the platform she has. 

Terrell Owens holding Dude Wipes XL

Did Zina Garrison compare Martina Navratilova with Coco Gauff? 

Watch What’s Trending Now!

During an interview with the Washington Post, the 59-year-old former tennis player believes that the 18-year-old’s zeal for coming forward on the tennis court is something she has seen in the earlier era of women’s tennis. Garrison, who has played doubles with the 59-time Grand Slam champion, believes that in terms of attacking, the 18-year-old has some similar instincts to that of the Czech-American tennis legend.

ADVERTISEMENT

article-image

Reuters

She said, “While strokes and footwork can be fine-tuned with repetition, a genuine thirst for attacking is as much a reflection of temperament as a learned tactic: a mental aspect of a very mental game, as elemental as a fight-or-flight response. Martina was a risk-taker. She liked fast cars; she liked to speed. She skied. All that. For me, I was always calculated: ‘Tell me why I need to come to the net.’ ”

ADVERTISEMENT

READ MORE – Victoria Azarenka’s Late-Night Australian Open Glory Irks Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert As They Bash the Tournament

And the same way, the 18-year-old is seen sharing the same hunger to attack with strokes and her amazing footwork. At such a young age, Gauff has created a name for herself.

ADVERTISEMENT

Along with Garrison, Navratilova also believes that the 18-year-old has limitless potential to fight for a lot of things on and off the tennis court. 

Navratilova on Gauff’s limitless potential 

ADVERTISEMENT

The 59-time Grand Slam champion believes that the rising American tennis player has limitless potential. According to Navratilova, she just needs to sharpen some technical issues, and focus more on her serves to improve her on-court skills. Additionally, she also believes that Gauff will turn out to be a fantastic athlete. 

WATCH THIS STORY –  Rafael Nadal’s best clay outfits

ADVERTISEMENT

Will Gauff create history in the sport like the legendary Martina Navratilova? What do you think? Tell us in the comments section below.

Share this with a friend:

Link Copied!

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Written by

author-image

Pratishtha Prakash

2,948 Articles

Pratishtha Prakash, senior tennis writer and resident analyst at EssentiallySports isn't just a sports journalist; she's a storyteller who found her true calling in tennis content. It is something she seamlessly integrates into both her professional and personal realms. At ES, she has curated more than 2400 articles, and each write-up reflects that fans are here to stay! Having professional certifications in content and digital marketing, Pratishtha has made it a habit to hone her skills as a quality journalist. Her sweet spot lies in articles exploring fan reactions and off-court tales. As an analyst, she elevates her storytelling with technical finesse. Beyond the pixels, Pratishtha trades her keyboard for the dance floor and loves to explore new places during her time off from work.

Know more

Edited by

editor-image

Tony Thomas

ADVERTISEMENT