Coco Gauff has been stealing headlines ever since she burst onto the scene as a teenage tennis sensation.
And now, many years on, the 19-year-old has barely changed in that regard.
With seven career titles to her name already, including the 2023 US Open title too, the foundation has been set for a stunning career laden with elite silverware.
And now, her new coach has suggested she shares one trait with a legendary figure within the sport, which could propel her to a similar level of greatness.
What Coco Gauff’s coach said about her
Speaking to Vogue, in a landmark interview in which the USA tennis player made the cover, her new coach, Brad Gilbert, revealed a key trait that she boasts.
Such is the quality of the young star, her unrelenting desire to win is only matched by the quality she boasts.
The sky really is the limit, and the fact that that aforementioned attribute aligns with Andre Agassi, another exceptional USA player of the past, should act as encouragement.
Gilbert noted: ‘Coco definitely shares a big-time trait with Andre in that she’s a perfectionist. Crazy perfectionist. That’s probably the thing from early on I noticed instantly. And I told her, ‘The pursuit of perfection doesn’t exist. It makes you miserable, chasing it. And you’re never satisfied with being good.’ She’s just always gotta be better. Andre was the same.
‘And it’s like, ‘You only gotta be better than the lady on the other side of the net.’ That’s it. This whole being-better-than-you-need-to-be costs you a lot of matches.’
Given he too coached Agassi, there is arguably no one better placed to make such a lofty comparison.
Coco Gauff needs to recapture her early 2024 form
Having enjoyed a blistering start to 2024, the tournaments following her first two have underwhelmed slightly.
After all, claiming the title in Brisbane before losing disappointingly to the eventual winner, Aryna Sabalenka, in the Australian Open semi-final, marked a fine start to the season.
Many predicted big things for the teenage superstar, but a first-round loss in Qatar and a quarter-final exit in Dubai denoted disappointing performances for the world number three.
Now, awaiting her Round of 64 opponent at Indian Wells, the speed of the court could play into the hands of the dynamic youngster seeking to get her season back on track.
A deep run in this prestigious WTA 1000 event would certainly go about achieving that.
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