WTA Linz: Cori Gauff sensationally wins her first tournament - at the age of 15!
US shooting star Cori Gauff surprisingly won her premiere title on the WTA tour in Linz.
by Florian Goosmann
last edit: Oct 13, 2019, 06:55 pm
The 15-year-old beat the 2017 French Open winner Jelena Ostapenko in the final with 6: 3, 1: 6 and 6: 2. At 5-0 in the third set, she already awarded two match balls and then gave up her serve to zero.
Her father, however, reassured her during on-court coaching: "We will not sprint across the finish line, we will run calmly." He also insisted that his daughter orientate herself differently. "Imagine you play a training match." If she had known yesterday that she was leading 5-2, she would have taken it with her. And Gauff remained calm, took a challenge on the third match ball, which confirmed a ball from Ostapenko in the end - the victory.
At 15, she is the youngest winner on the WTA tour for 15 years, since Nicole Vaidisova in 2004. In the new WTA world ranking she will be among the top 100 for the first time on Monday - in place 71.
Gauff in Linz: as a lucky loser to a happy winner!
"Not the result I wanted today. But congratulations to you, you have a great future ahead of you," said a disappointed Ostapenko at the award ceremony.
"Thank God, I wouldn't be here without him. And my family," said Gauff, who had already failed in qualifying for the German Tamara Korpatsch, but when Lucky Loserin came into the peloton - and now became a Happy Winner. She also thanked tournament director Sandra Reichel.
In addition to almost 35,000 euros in prize money, Gauff also received a dirndl at the end of the tournament.
She had beaten Stefanie Vögele, Kateryna Kozlova and top seed Kiki Bertens in the peloton this week. In the semifinals, she won against Andrea Petkovic.
Gauff had caused a sensation for the first time in Wimbledon, where she made it to the round of 16 as a qualifier and defended match balls against Polona Hercog in round 3 . In the round of the last 16 she then failed due to the eventual winner Simona Halep.
The double final in Linz was won by top seed Barbora Krejcikova / Katerina Siniakova against surprise finalists Barbara Haas / Xenia Knoll 6: 4, 6: 3.
Peterson wins in Tianjin
The Swedish Rebecca Peterson meanwhile won the tournament in Tianjin and celebrated the second WTA tournament victory of her career. The world rankings-59. beat Heather Watson 6: 4, 6: 4 in the final. Just a month ago, she had won her premier title in Nanchang.