French Open: Cori Gauff - The return of the child prodigy
Cori Gauff is in the quarter-finals of the French Open 2021. But the 17-year-old is far from having enough.
by Jörg Allmeroth
last edit: Jun 08, 2021, 01:37 pm
One had already got used to certain turbulence in the motley world of women's tennis in recent years. But when the usual interim accounts were opened after four French Open rounds in 2021, the pile of ruins for the nominal elite players was bigger than ever. A single top 10 player (defending champion Iga Swiatek) remained in the cup race, the top eight in the world rankings either not started (Simona Halep) or more or less disappointingly eliminated. Instead, a completely different record was set in the Roland Garros stadium, the “cemetery of favorites” (L'Equipe): six players advanced to the quarter-finals for the very first time in their careers, a moderately difficult palace revolution among outsiders.
One of the debutantes came into focus in a very special and natural way, a player who many in the scene believe that sooner or later she will play for the big titles and for first place in the ranking: Cori "Coco" Gauff , die 17-year-old American who drew the attention of the whole tennis world two years ago with her Sturm und Drang debut at Wimbledon - including an opening win against legend Venus Williams - and was celebrated as a new child prodigy. Gauff, always ahead of her age, has already played a splendid clay court season, she reached the semi-finals of the top competition in Rome, and then she won the singles and doubles competition in Parma.
Gauff looks ahead
And now, on the largest clay court stage of the traveling circus, in the Roland Garros stadium, she continued her path to success with an astonishing sovereignty and equanimity that made everything seem possible. At least not yet a tournament stop in the round of eight against the Czech Barbora Krejcikova. "I've never felt as hungry in myself as at this French Open," says Gauff, "at other Grand Slams I was too happy too soon."
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After the difficult pandemic year 2020, in which she suffered from loneliness and the bubble regulations, Gauff has really regained her footing. In Paris she impresses with a good rested tennis that relies on power with precision. Nothing seems hectic or irritable in her game, instead the young American shines with a clairvoyant strategy full of patience and the quality of being able to wait for the right moment for the decisive blow. "It's hard to believe that she's only 17," says former American star player Chris Evert. Nevertheless, the teenage girl only feels herself on the first few meters of a long way to her goal: "I learn in every game, in every second, in every rally," she says, "my game has a completely different character here." The urge Gauff is more and more target-oriented in resisting the sliding exercises: "Tennis is more like chess here." How to achieve a point gain as quickly as possible with great energy on grass or hard courts. And I enjoy it. ”Nevertheless, according to Gauff, sand is“ only my third favorite surface. ”
Gauff remains an exception
But it almost seems as if the clever American is getting a lot of satisfaction from being able to master the previously unpopular clay court tests so well. Gauff remains an exception in a women's tennis scene, in which the stories of very young female climbers have long since become a rarity. In the top 300 of the world rankings there is currently no player under the age of 18 besides Gauff, other teenagers are light years away from a top 20 position that the possible heiress of the Williams empire could soon have achieved. "Coco is an exception in every respect," says the Swiss Belinda Bencic, who has already acted as the new Miss Swiss and successor to Martina Hingis.
In her rise in adult tennis, Gauff can rely on an intact environment in which no one gives in to the temptation of wanting to make quick money. Gauff's parents, father Cori and mother Cindi, as well as Team8 management (it also represents Roger Federer), rely on careful development, which also includes a moderate tournament program and necessary breaks. "Coco is programmed to win, but that comes from her, from her mentality," says Tracy Austin, once a teenage phenomenon, "and she is best when there is a lot going on, like the slams." Easy To be able to play tennis again, without major restrictions, with more freedom, is currently another “huge inspiration”, says Gauff himself, the youngest Paris quarter-finalist since 2006 (Vaidisova), “the fun is back. And not just because of the many victories. "
Here the single tableau in Roland Garros
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