Coco Gauff’s former coach reveals what she did when she was nine which was one of the most ‘unbelievable achievements’ ever

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Coco Gauff was an outstanding junior player and her former coach illustrated that with some outstanding statistics.

At just 20 years of age, the American has already achieved more than many players do during an entire career.

Gauff won the 2023 US Open, claimed her first WTA Finals title and is currently the World number three behind Iga Swiatek and Aryna Sabalenka.

These are remarkable achievements, but one of her former coaches explains that Gauff had shown her talent for the game at a very young age.

What did Coco Gauff achieve at just nine years old as a junior player?

Coco Gauff showed how much potential she had when she defeated Venus Williams at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships when she was just 15.

Later that year Gauff won her first WTA title in Linz, and became a Grand Slam champion four years later. But Sly Black, Gauff’s coach as a youngster, knew she was destined for greatness long before she reached the WTA Tour.

In fact, during an interview with the ‘Coachlife – Tennis’ YouTube channel, Black recalled what Gauff accomplished at the age of nine, which left him astonished.

“The challenge for her was to try and see if she could play in a higher age group,” Black said. “She would enter tournaments, local tournaments, and every three or four months she would enter a different age group.

“If she lost the first time at a higher age group, the next time she would win. So for the next two years between 8-10 years old, she won every single event age group she played in. She won under-8’s, under-10’s, under-12’s, under-14’s, under-16’s and under-18’s.

“This is one of the most unbelievable achievements I have ever seen as a tennis coach. This girl was nine years old.”

Which record did Coco Gauff break as a junior tennis player?

Throughout her professional tennis career, Gauff has already matched or broken numerous records.

For example, after Gauff beating Sabalenka in the semi-finals of the WTA Finals, she matched Serena Williams’ record of 22 wins against former Grand Slam champions before turning 21.

But as a junior, Gauff smashed a record that once again left her former coach Sly Black in awe. “She won all the age groups she played in going upwards. She got a wildcard into the national 12’s, and she was 10 years old,” he added.

“This was a tournament we were getting ready for, as this tournament would be a good benchmark for where she should be and where she is at the moment. She ended up at that tournament becoming the youngest national champion in US history.

“That’s the tournament we were keeping a benchmark. She broke my oldest daughter’s record by four or five months. It was then I told her Dad that I think we are on to something special.”