Tracy Austin is a legendary figure in the American tennis community, having risen to prominence as a teenage superstar in the 1970s capable of mixing it with the very best.
It is this path to stardom, paved at such a young age, that makes her more than qualified to talk about today’s precocious youth seeking to infiltrate the modern game.
Coco Gauff is one such figure who also burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old and has since gone from strength to strength.
And, speaking about her compatriot, she also took the time to analyse one of her biggest competitors who has been faltering of late.
Tracy Austin ranks Coco Gauff’s speed
Chatting to the panel live on Tennis Channel during Mirra Andreeva’s Italian Open clash with Clara Tauson, attention had to turn to the American number one at some point.
However, after Austin rated Gauff’s chances of winning the French Open, she then sought to speak about a contender of hers that has been struggling of late: Iga Swiatek.
Hidden amongst her analysis was a compliment that will resonate given how highly Austin rates Gauff: ‘I think that Iga is in a difficult place right now. The serve isn’t as formidable as it was before. The forehand other years was one of the biggest weapons, particularly on clay with the way that she hits it with so much spin and it gets up out of the strike zone.
‘The forehand, even on clay has been a little bit fragile. I think alarm bells went off when she lost to Coco Gauff in Madrid, 6-1, 6-1. That’s when people started to realise that Iga is maybe in a different place right now.
‘Sometimes she’s playing and she’s looking anxious. Before, as we know, she has won four Roland Garros titles, on clay this was her season. This was her time to shine. Her backhand down the line was amazing, backhand cross. There was an assuredness about her but also the defence ability.
‘One of the fastest players on tour along with Coco. The aura starts to fade a bit and other players are now thinking there’s a possibility. She’s in a difficult place and it’s hard to watch, alarming to watch these losses for Iga on clay.’
Can Iga Swiatek refind her form for Roland Garros?
Naturally, all the talk around Swiatek at the moment revolves around her ability to retain her Roland Garros crown.
After all, for years now it has almost felt like a foregone conclusion that she, as the dominant force on clay within the WTA, would win the title.
But this year, things feel different.
No longer is she entering the French capital having swept aside all competition on the dirt. Instead, she was shockingly defeated by Danielle Collins in Rome, beaten 6-1, 6-1 by Gauff in Madrid, and suffered an early exit to Jelena Ostapenko in Stuttgart.
It could perhaps be telling that Swiatek is already training at Roland Garros to begin her preparation, highlighting her desperation to return to form and claim a fifth title there.
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