Magic-carpet ride is over for Gauff
American teenager serves notice that she will be a force
WIMBLEDON, England — When Cori “Coco” Gauff’s final forehand sailed wide, sealing her fourth-round loss to former world No. 1 Simona Halep on Monday at the All England Cub, it was tempting to declare that the 15-year old’s fairy-tale run had come to an end.
Still in high school and not yet old enough to drive, Gauff had enchanted fans and won legions of admirers in her storybook Wimbledon debut, vanquishing Venus Williams, her heroine, in the first round and weathering two match points against another tour veteran to reach the final 16 of the world’s most prestigious tennis tournament.
But as Gauff bowed out of the competition, falling 6-3, 6-3, it was clear that her overnight emergence as the sport’s brightest young star wasn’t the result of magic. Gauff’s achievements at Wimbledon — winning three qualifying matches followed by
three matches in the 128-player main draw — were the result of years of hard work, a fighting spirit that can’t be coached and an inner drive to learn from her losses and dwell only lightly on success.
All that — combined with Gauff ’s dynamism, big strokes and serve (which will only get bigger as she grows) and poise beyond her years — turned the world’s 313th-ranked player into a sensation since Wimbledon got underway July 1.
On Friday, fans with grounds passes jammed onto what’s known as Henman Hill to watch her three-set, come-from-behind,
third-round victory on the giant outdoor screen, prompting one British tabloid to declare that “Coco-mania” had taken over the All England club.
In one week, Gauff ’s Instagram followers rocketed from 20,000 to 347,000, and shout-outs from celebrities poured in — including two from former first lady Michelle Obama.
Coco-mania was rampant Monday as well, with crowds returning to the grassy hill to watch her take on Halep, her first seeded opponent. Even Judy Murray, mother of tennis-playing professionals Andy and Jamie, posted a photo of her niece beaming alongside Gauff. Wrote Murray: “When you bring your teen niece to Wimbledon to
watch her cousins, and all she wants to do is meet @Cocogauff #Rolemodel.”
“It was really surprising, because you don’t really expect this kind of support when you’re in another country, not your home country,” Gauff said as she wiped away tears at her postmatch news conference. “I really did feel like I was probably playing in New York. I’m just really happy that people believe in me.
“I wasn’t feeling my best, I wasn’t playing my best, but they were still supporting me, no matter what.”
Halep, a tenacious defender with a strong return of serve, represented a challenge of a higher order. For stretches, Gauff had the
2018 French Open champion on the run. And she didn’t shrink from the fight, breaking back immediately after losing her serve early in both sets.
Halep was impressed.
“It’s a great performance. I think if she keeps going, she will be (in the) top 10 soon,” Halep said. “She will be a very tough opponent for everybody.”
Gauff never telegraphed fear or panic, and most of her 29 unforced errors (to Halep’s 14) were the result of overhitting rather than seizing up with nerves.
Asked after the loss what she hoped her new fans had learned about her at Wimbledon, Gauff said: “That I’m a fighter. I’ll never give up. And I hope they learned from me that anything is possible if you work hard. Just continue to dream big.”
In addition to the skill and maturity she already has, working in her favor are other factors, starting with parents who, by all accounts, have given her a solid foundation and guided her progression with care.
Tracy Austin, another former tennis prodigy, joined others with similar views about Gauff ’s potential while commentating on the Gauff-Halep match for the BBC.
“It’s just beginning for Coco,” Austin said. “Coco has all the ingredients to be a future Grand Slam champion.”