Coco Gauff 'can bring so much' to tennis, says Alex Corretja, praises American as 'example' after US Open win
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Updated 10/09/2023 at 12:32 GMT+1
Coco Gauff has been hailed by Eurosport pundits Alex Corretja, Barbara Schett and Mats Wilander after the 19-year-old won a maiden Grand Slam title with victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final. Corretja said the 19-year-old "can bring so much to this sport”, adding that Gauff is a great “example” and a “role model”. Schett called her a “trailblazer”.
Watch the moment Gauff wins her first slam title with victory over Sabalenka at US Open
Video credit: SNTV
Alex Corretja says that Coco Gauff "can bring so much” to tennis after the 19-year-old claimed a sensational victory over Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open final.
Gauff withstood an early onslaught to fight back from a set down to win 2-6 6-3 6-2 at Flushing Meadows in New York. And Corretja, speaking on Eurosport's coverage of the tournament, was effusive in his praise for Gauff.
He said: "I like the way she behaves on the court and off the court. She's a great role model."
Continuing, Corretja underlined the importance of an exciting young champion emerging as one of the elite of the women's game. Gauff became the youngest US Open champion since Serena Williams - then 17 years old - in 1999 with her victory on Saturday evening.
He said: "I don't know if she's aware of how important she is for the sport, for tennis itself. I think she's young, she's enjoying her rise. She's well-mannered, well-educated and she can bring so much to this sport. And not just to sport but to life in general.
"I think we should look at Coco Gauff as an example."
Fellow Eurosport expert Mats Wilander pointed out that, as the first American Grand Slam winner since Sofia Kenin in 2020, Gauff had already made a major contribution to American tennis.
He said: "It's a huge moment for American tennis."
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Highlights: Djokovic to face Medvedev in US Open final as Alcaraz shocked
Video credit: SNTV
Corretja agreed, adding that Gauff's ability to play without leaning overly on physicality could inspire other women to pursue the sport.
He said: "[She won] with a different kind of tennis than we're used to on the women's tour. She's very clever playing with heights, with different speeds you know.
"It's very optimistic for the future of the girls that sometimes they feel like if they're not too tall, they don't hit strong, they can't win matches."
Eurosport's Barbara Schett reeled off the names of other female American Grand Slam winners, a pantheon of which Gauff now finds herself a part of.
She said: "We talk about Billie Jean King, we talk about the Williams sisters here in America, but Coco Gauff is a trailblazer. She has a voice. She can't just play tennis."
Gauff's victory in the final lifts her to a career-best world No. 3 ranking. Speaking on the court after lifting the trophy, Gauff was enjoying her moment.
She said: “Thank you for the people who didn’t believe in me.
"A month ago, I won a 500 title - people said I would stop at that. Two weeks ago, I won a Masters title, and people said that was as big as it was going to get. Three weeks later, I’m here with this trophy.
"To those who thought they were putting water on my fire, they were adding gas to it. Now I’m burning so bright right now.”
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