By Amy Tennery
NEW YORK (Reuters) – American Coco Gauff returns to the site of her career breakthrough next week at Wimbledon once again on the hunt for a maiden major title that has been predicted ever since she burst on the scene at the All England Club.
The youngest player ever in the professional era to survive the Wimbledon qualifying draw, she was 15 when she first made her mark at the grasscourt Grand Slam and beat her idol Venus Williams in a dream run to the fourth round four years ago.
The 19-year-old seventh seed now wants to make the home of her extraordinary main draw debut into the scene of her greatest triumph, after reaching the quarter-finals at a major four times.
“When I saw her play at 15 years old at Wimbledon and beat Venus Williams I for sure thought by now she would have won a major,” ESPN analyst and 18-times major winner Chris Evert told reporters this week.
“It’s probably better for her because it’s not happening overnight, she’s not a flash in the pan. She’s just going gradually on her path in a slower way. I think that’s going to benefit her in the long run.”
Better, perhaps, in the long run, but Gauff made no secret of her frustration when she bounced out of the Australian open in the fourth round this year.
Months later, world number one Iga Swiatek ended her Roland Garros campaign in the quarter-finals after beating her in the final at the claycourt major a year ago.
“I wouldn’t say I’m more at peace. To be honest, I’m still very frustrated, but I guess I’m trying not to show it as much,” Gauff said after her Roland Garros exit.
Swiatek, who beat her in the semi-finals in Dubai this year as well, holds a 7-0 record against Gauff.
“Obviously you lose to someone seven times, you feel crappy. It’s not fun at all, but also, every time I play her, I’m not thinking about the previous record. I treat it as a new opportunity,” said Gauff, who parted with coach Diego Moyano earlier this year and has reportedly hired former player Pere Riba of Spain.
She bounced out early from her first grasscourt event of the year in Berlin but there were reasons for optimism as she romped to a confident 6-1 6-1 win over Briton’s Jodie Burrage at Eastbourne on Wednesday.
The biggest question hanging over the 19-year-old, however, will be whether she can improve her much-maligned forehand, which remains among the least consistent tools in her arsenal.
“The only trigger point for her will be the forehand. Everybody talks about it. It’s probably in her head by now. On a fast surface like grass, you’ve got to hit the ball in front of you and you’ve got to accelerate,” said Evert.
“If she can get her forehand to be a little bit more like Iga’s, I think she’ll have the complete game.”
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Toby Davis)
