Coco Gauff’s Rise: Navigating the Shadows of Serena Williams and the Pressure of Expectations

Not a Major tournament where his name does not come to his ears. Not a single press conference where the imposing shadow of his idol does not hover over his head. It must be said that Coco Gauff does not make it easy for storytelling lovers. Since her arrival on the circuit, she has been identified as the one who must take over from Serena Williams. Since her arrival on the circuit, it has been a medley of statistics that has brought the two women closer. The latest: Gauff has become the youngest American player to reach the semi-finals of the US Open since… Serena and Venus Williams, obviously.

Inevitably, trying to make connections. However, between Queen Serena and Princess Gauff, there is currently a world of difference. In 1999, at age 17, Williams won his first Major title here in New York. In 2023, at 19, Gauff is playing his first semi-final at the US Open and hopes to be able to lift his first career Major, after having touched it at Roland-Garros last year. The challenge for her is always the same: grow at her own pace but grow nonetheless.

People are always finding new numbers to bring us closer

She explained it very well after qualifying for the last four, after being confronted with this stat so telling but above all so symbolic. “Sharing this stat with her means a lot to me, he first explained before defusing. Obviously, she’s the best player of all time. But, you know, I’m years away- light from her.”

Perhaps it’s precisely because she was bombarded a bit quickly in this suit of successor that Gauff had two years of learning after her fantastic breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2019. “It’s something I’m very used to. “, she recalled. I’m not going to come here in front of you and say that I’m shocked. I feel like a lot of statistics lined up with her, and people are always coming up with new numbers for us closer. I was the first teenager in the quarters and now in the semis, so I imagine if I win it will be the same for the final. It will always be like that.”

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A sign that she has matured, Gauff is no longer the type to dwell on these figures which have sometimes destabilized her. “I don’t take anything for granted, she concluded on the subject. Serena is my idol, I think that if you had told me when I was younger that I would be in the same statistical lines as her, I would have panicked. I always try not to think about it too much, because I don’t want to worry or put pressure on myself.”

Muchova, perfect tennis test

The pressure, however, it is she who will have it this Thursday. Because the defeat of Iga Swiatek has redirected all eyes to her at the top of the table and because New York hopes to be able to celebrate an American champion or champion this weekend. This status is already a big obstacle to pass. But the identity of her opponent, Karolina Muchova and her varied tennis, adds to the difficulty of the task.

“Me, I say be careful!, has also alerted our consultant Mats Wilander. Even if Coco beat him in Cincinnati, Muchova has a game that allows him to adapt to all situations. She can play risky and then change strategy if she realizes it’s not working, to do something completely different. She’s really going to have to rack her brains against Muchova.”

Her stunning management of Hurricane Ostapenko proved that she had turned a corner in the tactical approach to her matches. “For me, this is an unmissable opportunity for her, even at 19,” concludes Wilander. Even in case of failure, nothing will be final at his age. In short, it will not yet be time to say that it is too late. But it’s never too early…

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2023-09-06 22:29:00
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