Trick or treat? Coco Gauff planning to spend Linz Open winnings on Halloween costume
Still just 15 years old, Coco Gauff set her eyes on the best Halloween costume on the WTA Tour after claiming a reported $43,000 in Linz.
Coco Gauff’s first WTA Tour title at the Linz Open means the 15-year-old has the prize money to buy a Halloween costume she hopes will be the best in the sport.
The outstanding teenager, who starred at Wimbledon and the US Open, became the youngest champion on the main tour in 15 years as she defeated Jelena Ostapenko on Sunday.
The victory capped a sensational week for Gauff, who also claimed a landmark first win against a top-10 player when she downed world number eight Kiki Bertens in the quarter-finals.
Despite a fast-moving week, which started with the American entering the tournament as a lucky loser, Gauff has already made plans for her reported winnings of $43,000.
“I know Halloween is coming up and it’s one of my favourite times of year,” she said. “So I guess I’ll splurge a little bit on my costume and make sure it’s right.
“[The costume is] a secret, because I know last year they had a WTA contest for the best costumes, and I came in third. This year my goal is to come in first!”
BEST FEELING https://t.co/UxmndI0ff5
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) October 13, 2019
Gauff drew huge crowds as she made grand slam breakthroughs at the All England Club and then at Flushing Meadows, yet she revealed she had not expected to be in contention for titles at the start of the season.
“I’m still overwhelmed and shocked,” she said. “I guess it’s crazy to say it’s my first WTA title.
“This was definitely not on the calendar at the beginning of the year, because I didn’t think I’d have a chance to get in. And now I’m the champion, so it’s crazy.”
Gauff is the first player this season to win on the tour as a lucky loser and added: “It’s just literally insane that I got in as a lucky loser and now I’m the champion.
“My dad told me when I got in, before the first main-draw match, he said, ‘You can’t lose twice in the same tournament!’
“I’m sure he never thought it would come this far, to being the champion, but I guess he was right.”
