Coco Gauff claims there’s another Italian youngster coming through who has ‘a lot of potential’

Follow us on Google Discover

Coco Gauff turns her attention to the Italian Open this week, having narrowly missed out on the Madrid Open title.

Gauff committed eight double faults as she lost the Madrid Open final to WTA Tour number one Aryna Sabalenka.

But Gauff was praised by fans following the defeat to the Belarusian, who secured a 6-3, 7-6(7-3) victory over the American.

Both players now begin their Italian Open ventures in the second round after receiving byes in the first round.

Sabalenka is the top seed at the WTA 1000 tournament, with new world number three Gauff the fourth seed.

Coco Gauff says Italian teenager Tyra Grant has ‘a lot of potential’

In her pre-tournament press conference, the American was asked about 17-year-old Tyra Grant, who was drawn to face Antonia Ruzic in round one in Rome.

Discussing her potential and her recent switch of nationality from the United States to Italy, Gauff said of Grant: “I don’t know her super well. I met her a while ago.

READ MORE: Coco Gauff shares message on social media after losing the Madrid Open final to Aryna Sabalenka

“I was doing Fed Cup, and they brought a couple juniors. Ever since then, we’ve just talked a little bit when we see each other at tournaments.

“On a personal level, I don’t know her well. And her potential, I mean, she obviously has a lot of potential. I’ve actually never watched her play.

“I mean, based off the results, what I see her doing in juniors, obviously she has a lot of potential. I just never sat there and watched a match.

“I will now that she’s playing on the same level. I’ll try to get ready. Probably going to play each other sooner than later.

“Nationality switch? When I first met her, I knew she was Italian. She was very proud to be Italian. She speaks Italian. That was a long time ago. I’m not surprised or anything.

“I asked her about it and she felt culturally she resonated more with the Italian culture because she lives and trains here. To me, I think it made sense.

“I think it’s cool to have the option who you want to represent. Yeah, if I had a cool option like Italy, I think they’re a great place to represent, I might do the same. I love being American, too.

“I think when I talk to her, she’s both. When I see her interacting with Italians here, I’m like, Okay, yeah, I see why she made the change.”

Tyra Grant among exciting Italian WTA and ATP talents

Grant is a three-time junior Grand Slam doubles champion, and grew up playing at the same Northern Italy tennis academy that Jannik Sinner attended.

Sinner has, of course, gone on to achieve remarkable feats in his brief career so far, including becoming world number one and winning three Grand Slam titles.

Grant meanwhile is currently ranked 335th on the WTA Tour, and represents one of many up-and-coming Italian talents across the women’s and men’s games.

The teenager has already taken on the US Open, losing in qualifying last year, along with this year’s Miami Open and Madrid Open.

How Coco Gauff feels about having Mirra Andreeva in the WTA top 10

Gauff was, of course, the most exciting teenager in world tennis once upon a time, having won the 2023 US Open aged 19.

Now 21, she has moved beyond that tag, with 18-year-old Mirra Andreeva now very much the youngster in the spotlight.

READ MORE: WTA Italian Open 2025 – how to watch, top players, prize money & predictions

Asked how it feels to see the likes of Andreeva in the top 10 and fellow 21-year-old Diana Shnaider not far behind, Gauff replied: “I mean, from a competition perspective, it doesn’t matter to me.

“When I was younger, I never cared about my age or anything like that. From a personal, yeah, it’s great to have people around my age.

“I’ve always, like, said it was always hard for me to make friends on tour when I first came because I was just way younger than everyone. I was 15.

“There is not other 15- or 16-year-olds playing these tournaments week in, week out. The closest was like a 19-, 20-year-olds, maybe outside of Iga [Swiatek].

“But now having more friends around, it does make a difference. I feel different on-site just being able to have conversations, relate-ability.

“Not that the older players weren’t nice to me, they were. It’s just different. They’re getting married, planning their lives out. I’m just still trying to figure it out. It’s good to figure it out with other people.”