‘My whole family are stars but only Michael Jordan freaked me out’
Coco Vandeweghe has the pedigree and the belief to take New York by storm, writes Vicki Hodges
When your mother is an Olympic swimmer, your grandfather and uncle are both NBA stars and your aunt captain of the American US polo team, rubbing shoulders with the country’s best sporting talent is nothing out of the ordinary.
Add a grandmother who was crowned Miss America in the early 1950s and the stardust engulfing last year’s US Open semi-finalist Coco Vandeweghe whilst growing up was quite the eclectic mix.
“I’ve never been crazy in awe of sports stars because of growing up around them – they were like peers in a sense,” Vandeweghe told The
Daily Telegraph. “You can be in awe of accomplishments and victories when you are around sportspeople, but really everyone’s a human and everyone’s a peer so it’s not too crazy cool for me.”
It therefore takes something and someone special to create the butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling. For Vandeweghe it was an offchance meeting with an individual who transcends his sport.
“The only one I was freaking out about was Michael Jordan,” the 26-year-old said, after a few moments’ reflection. “I actually met him at the US Open a few years ago. It was when Federer was wearing the shoes designed by Michael Jordan [in 2014]. I was leaving the locker room and I saw him. I went over and introduced myself – but he knew who I was. That was the coolest sports star I’ve met.”
Growing up in a sporting dynasty has made Vandeweghe insanely competitive. She may have her sights fixed on a first grand slam title at the US Open next week, but it is in the team format where her passion is really laid bare. Whereas many top-level players’ commitment to Fed Cup and Davis Cup has been questionable, the same charge could not be levelled at Vandeweghe. “Playing for my country has been super important to me,” Vandeweghe said. “It’s been pretty much my No1 priority my whole life. Just growing up with my mum being an Olympian, it’s definitely been an honour to represent my country in the Fed Cup aspect and in the Olympics.”
The New York-born righthander, who reached a career-high world No9 at the start of the year, looked down for the count in a Fed Cup quarter-final with Germany in Hawaii in February.
Lying on the ground, her feet elevated and ice packs applied to her body during a medical timeout for extreme heat at 2-4 down to Andrea Petkovic in the second set, Vandeweghe was energised by the raucous crowd and rattled off 10 straight games to send America into the semi-finals.
Vandeweghe proved the standout performer, winning three points in the last-four tie against Czech Republic and again in the final against Belarus to hand the US a first Fed Cup victory in 17 years.
“Something which is lacking in tennis sometimes is the crowd’s influence,” Vandeweghe said. “You see it a lot when you play Fed Cup and Davis Cup matches where you only have one opponent on the other side of the net, but you have tens of thousands of people rooting against you or for you. It’s a hard feeling to swallow when they’re against you, but an even better feeling when they’re for you.”
Vandeweghe is no wallflower. Her no-surrender style and combustible nature have made her one of the women’s game’s must-watch players.
She celebrated bringing down defending champion Angelique Kerber at the Australian Open in 2017 with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulders. This year she received a time violation in Melbourne after demanding bananas were brought on court during a change of ends during her opening match. She then defied the chair umpire’s instructions to return to the court by taking a bite of a banana before lining up for her next shot.
The two-times WTA title winner makes no apology for her volatile behaviour. Coach Pat Cash was brought on board during Wimbledon last year to help channel her temperament. Now Vandeweghe admits she can “pick my moments when I am going to be boisterous” depending on the nature of the tournament. Not that she encourages similar behaviour – it is the only way she knows.
“Everyone can be a role model,” Vandeweghe said. “When you hold the door open for someone to let somebody go first, that’s respect. That’s what I was taught. To help somebody that can’t help
‘Playing for my country has been very big for me. It’s been my No 1 priority all my life’
themselves – everyone can be a role model in that fashion. It’s not just sportspeople, but I think I’m a role model to my siblings. Everyone can do it.”
There have been shining examples in every direction for Vandeweghe. Her older brother, Beau, influenced her to take up tennis from the age of 11, her mother was a sporting role model and grandmother Colleen, who helped in her upbringing, and shaped Vandeweghe.
Vandeweghe’s natural sporting prowess and powerful game fell into place quickly as she won the US Open girls’ title as a 16-year-old wild card without dropping a set.
Roll on 10 years and Vandeweghe would not change the road that has led her to two grand slam finals and a Fed Cup success. If she could tell her 16-year-old self what she knows now about life on tour and the complications that go with it, would she change anything?
“I wouldn’t give back what I’ve achieved or how I’ve got to this point,” Vandeweghe said. “Maybe I would have told her to do a few things differently just to save time and frustration. It’s part of what has made me grow up to go through that difficultly and frustration of what tennis is and what life is.”
This year has served as a reminder of how infuriating the sport can be. Despite a run to the Stuttgart final in April, injury and illness mean Vandeweghe has barely strung more than two wins together. “I’ve missed a lot of the season that I relish the most from the grass court to the US Open hard-court series,” she said. “I’ve missed a lot of good tournaments I enjoy playing or I’ve been there and haven’t been 100 per cent so it’s been insanely frustrating.” A recurrence of the ankle injury that first flared at Wimbledon returned at the Connecticut Open last weekend, but Vandeweghe was never going to miss out on her home event, the US Open. “The US Open is so special for me because I was born in New York. I have a lot of family still in New York and spent pretty much every summer in New York until I was 13,” she said. “It’s a special place where my friends and family can come and watch me play, which isn’t always feasible for them. I have the crowd’s support and I relish that. ”