U.S. teens Gauff, McNally win doubles
WASHINGTON — American teens Coco Gauff and Caty McNally won their first pro tournament as a doubles team by beating the fourth-seeded duo of Maria Sanchez and Fanny Stollar 6-2, 6-2 in the Citi Open final Saturday.
“For both of us,” Gauff said, “it means a lot.”
Gauff, a 15-year-old from Florida, and McNally, a 17-yearold from Ohio, only decided to team up for the hard-court tournament in the nation’s capital right before the deadline for entering the field.
“It was pretty much a last-minute thing,” McNally said. They also won the junior doubles title at last year’s U.S. Open.
Gauff shot to fame with a breakthrough performance at Wimbledon last month, becoming the youngest player to get into the main draw at the All England Club via qualifying, then upsetting five-time champion Venus Williams along the way to reaching the fourth round. Gauff ’s magical run ended with a loss to eventual champion Simona Halep.
McNally’s impressive showing in Washington included a run to the semifinals in singles — but that’s where it ended for her in that event Saturday with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 loss to Camila Giorgi of Italy. That came before McNally joined Gauff for the doubles final.