Coco Gauff won the French Open last weekend to end her wait to win another Grand Slam title.
It’s been a long road for the American since winning her maiden slam at the 2023 US Open, but now she’s finally back in the winner’s circle.
Gauff can be a force to be reckoned with on the WTA Tour and after Saturday’s win, she’s showcased that Aryna Sabalenka’s position as the world number one isn’t safe.
Amid some controversies over other comments, Sabalenka did praise Gauff for her performance in the final and hopefully, the pair will do battle again this year.
Jimmy Connors says what he thinks will happen to Coco Gauff
Wimbledon is around the corner for Gauff next and this will be a big Grand Slam for the 21-year-old.
The youngster is not only going into the tournament as the French Open champion for the first time but it’s also the Grand Slam where she’s never quite produced the goods before.
Gauff has never gone beyond round four at the All England Club and there will now be a real desire to get into the last eight for the first time this year at the very least.
Connors has won Wimbledon twice, and he’s had a lot of praise for the American sensation ahead of the grass court season.
He said on the Advantage Connors podcast: “She is good on all surfaces, but she cut down on her errors, and that is an important part, especially of clay court tennis.
“Now she is going into the grass, which seemingly she should be able to take advantage of, the way she hits the ball, with the pace and also the hard courts of the US Open coming up in September.
“But with her being able to cut down on those errors and rein her game in a little bit, know when to keep her game in play and know when to go for the big shot I don’t see why clay wouldn’t be her best surface because of the way she moves and the way she gets to the ball and puts that extra pressure on her opponent by making her hit that extra ball.
“That is where that mental pressure comes in for the opponent.
“We forget she is only 21 and has won two Grand Slams now. Winning a tournament like that, beating Sabalenka in the finals like that, that can only raise her confidence and raise her game, which is what is to come in just three weeks from now, which is Wimbledon.”
Gauff must take belief into Wimbledon campaign
This is going to be a huge tournament for Gauff, who will likely get a lot of support from the crowd at Wimbledon.
She must now have the genuine belief that she can reach multiple finals and win many more trophies, much like Sabalenka has in recent years.
Gauff is a very likeable player on the WTA Tour, and it would be extremely enjoyable to see her dominate the sport and lift many major titles just like her idol Serena Williams.
Given that her form at Wimbledon is pretty drab, it will now be fascinating to see if she can improve at all with the 2025 edition of the tournament just around the corner.
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