Playing in both doubles and singles, the American teenager had the opportunity to do something that had not been done since 1992. Coco Gauff and Catherine McNally won their third doubles title together. They defeated the number two seeded team in straight sets giving Gauff both titles in Parma.
First Meeting With Qiang Wang
Wang started off slowly, and frankly she did not really get into the match. Given this was a final, the Chinese player will be disappointed with her performance. Still, much credit to the young American, who kept her opponent scrambling for purchase. The damage was done by the powerful backhand and confidence of the teenager.
Coco Gauff Playing With Purpose
There is no doubt about her purpose; and of course, every tennis player has the same purpose when they pursue a career in the sport. The difference is that for some it is more realistic than for others. As you follow Gauff you see her game maturing before your eyes. She has developed some consistent weapons; however, you can also see where there is room for improvement. One of those areas is her serve and she knows if she wants to contest at the highest level, the majors, she will have to improve her serve.
Coco Gauff’s Relentless Fighting Spirit
For someone so young, the teenager impresses me with two things: her mental fortitude and her backhand. Are those enough weapons to help her accomplish her purpose? Perhaps not, however, if she maintains this mental fortitude, she will get there as long as she can stay healthy. Today, she took another step in that direction when she claimed her second singles title 6-1, 6-3 over the forty-eight ranked Wang. Expectations are high for the teenager, and so far, she is weathering the storm quite well.
SOURCE OF IMAGES: all images by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
1 Comment