USA TODAY International Edition
Summertime run: Gauff cruises into DC main draw
WASHINGTON, D.C. – At this point, Cori “Coco” Gauff might not need much of an introduction. But ahead of the 15year-old’s final qualifying match Sunday at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center, the public address announcer delivered one anyway.
Gauff, the former No. 1-ranked junior. Gauff, the youngest player to qualify for the Wimbledon main draw since 1968. Gauff, who went on to win three matches at the All England Club, including one against Venus Williams. And Gauff, her win Saturday in her first qualifying match at the Citi Open putting her on the cusp of entering the main draw in her first tournament since Wimbledon.
The crowd at Stadium Court on Sunday was there for Gauff. The fans were there to see the blistering serve that won her the first game of set one, too hot for Hiroko Kuwata to return. They were there for Gauff ’s clever drop shot after a long rally a few games later.
And they were there to see Gauff secure a place in the main draw with a clinical 6-1, 6-2 win over Kuwata, Gauff ’s second straight victory, booking a matchup Tuesday against Zarina Diyas.
“The weather is like similar to home,” the Delray Beach, Florida, native said. “So I felt like I was practicing at home.”
Gauff ’s comfort was apparent throughout her match. Her serves, with back-to-back aces twice down the stretch, helped keep Kuwata off balance. After winning a rally close to the net with a dink over Kuwata’s head that fell in for a point, Gauff turned toward her family members seated at the edge of the court and gave a fist pump.
While going through the qualifying stages means she’ll have played in more matches than her opponent heading into Tuesday, Gauff was grateful for the early qualifying experience. It offered her a chance to figure out how the hard courts in Washington compared to those she plays on in Florida (she felt the ones in D.C. were a touch slower).
Gauff reflected on how she’s improved in just these few months. “Even as a teenager, you’re still learning yourself and learning your game,” she said. “I felt like I grew a lot as a person since then, and I think that kind of shows in my results.”