Coco Gauff has enjoyed a superb career since breaking through on the WTA Tour in 2019, when she debuted at the Miami Open.
Gauff beat Cat McNally on her WTA debut back then, having been helped behind the scenes by many fellow professionals.
Aged just 15, Gauff practiced with Nick Kyrgios in Miami that week, but he certainly wasn’t the only top player she hit with.
Asked after beating McNally who she trained with and how far away from those players she felt she was, Gauff replied: “I played this week with Monica Puig. I’m trying to think. My mind is at a blank. [Aliaksandra] Sasnovich, [Petkovic].
“I think that’s it. Yeah, I think that’s it. I thought I was going to get blown out. These are top 20, top 30, former top 20 players.
“I was actually able to level up to them, and that kind of gave me confidence, knowing that I’m young and they have been on tour for years. They’re not blowing me off the court, so that helped.”
The Olympic gold medal winner who Coco Gauff practiced with on her WTA Tour debut
As Gauff mentioned, Puerto Rican star Puig was among those she practiced with when making her WTA debut in Miami.
The latter enjoyed a successful career before retiring in 2022, winning one WTA title and over 300 matches, as well as reaching 27th in the world rankings.
Her standout moment undoubtedly arrived at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, where Puig clinched the gold medal.
She defeated Angelique Kerber 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 in the final, becoming the first athlete representing Puerto Rico to win a gold medal at the Olympics.
How Monica Puig treated Coco Gauff at the 2019 Miami Open
Teenage sensation Gauff received a wildcard to play at the event, at which she fell in the second round to Daria Kasatkina.
But she was really grateful to those she practiced with that week, saying of their sessions: “I forgot to mention Alison Riske.
“And after playing with her, she’s, like, ‘You’re going to go far. You have a great game. You go for your shots’.
“Monica Puig was also very nice. All the players gave me great feedback, actually, at the end of the practice. They all told me that you’re going to do big things in this tournament.”
After a lengthy battle with injury, an emotional Puig called time on her fine career when speaking on ESPN in June 2022.
Gauff meanwhile has already surpassed the Puerto Rican in terms of career feats, having won 11 titles as well as reaching number two in the world rankings.
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