US Open 2019: How does Coco Gauff compare to 1997 Venus Williams?
As Coco Gauff prepares to try to emulate Venus Williams’ stunning run to the 1997 US Open final, we compare the two players as teenagers.
Coco Gauff will make her second grand slam appearance at the US Open next week, fresh from capturing the tennis world’s imagination with her stunning Wimbledon performance.
The 15-year-old reached the fourth round after becoming the All England Club’s youngest qualifier in the Open era, and she will be one of the main attractions at her home slam.
Gauff beat her idol in the first round at Wimbledon when she defeated Venus Williams, who in 1997 shocked tennis by progressing to the US Open final as a 17-year-old before losing to Martina Hingis.
It will be a difficult challenge for Gauff to replicate that achievement, but how does her career to this point stack up to that of the adolescent Venus? We compared their two records to find out.
My First #USOpen: A 17-year-old @Venuseswilliams made the world take notice in 1997 with her first Slam final. https://t.co/hPR27yTSlL pic.twitter.com/7utpwwDzlL
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 9, 2017
WTA Tour record: Williams (before the 1997 US Open) 10-9, Gauff 4-4
By the time she arrived at Flushing Meadows for her first US Open, Williams was effectively a regular on the tour and had already enjoyed reasonable success. She reached the quarter-finals at Indian Wells and beat Jennifer Capriati in Miami, where she suffered the first of two straight-sets defeats to Hingis that served as preludes to their New York showpiece.
Gauff, meanwhile, has been largely limited to the lower-level ITF circuit beyond her exploits at Wimbledon. She did beat fellow emerging talent and doubles partner Caty McNally in the first round in Miami, but that marks her only victory on the WTA Tour away from the All England Club.
Singles finals: Williams 0, Gauff 1 (ITF)
Gauff does have the experience of a singles final that the young Venus did not, though it came on the ITF Tour in Surprise, Florida in February. She suffered defeat to Sesil Karatantcheva and there was no clue at that point of the highs to come at Wimbledon.
Thankful for the opportunity. Can’t wait to play in front of my home crowd @usopen #DreamBig https://t.co/9PcNuYLaKx
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) August 13, 2019
World ranking: Williams 66, Gauff 141
The teenage Venus’ performances on the tour going into the US Open had helped her become established in the top 100. Gauff still has some way to go to achieve the same feat but a Wimbledon-esque run for the 15-year-old in Queens would catapult her up the rankings.
Grand Slam win-loss record: Williams 1-2, Gauff 3-1
The major difference between the 17-year-old Venus and the 15-year-old Gauff is that prior to her dream run in the Big Apple, Williams had shown no signs of being able to deliver on the grand slam stage. She reached the second round at the French Open before being beaten by Nathalie Tauziat. At Wimbledon she lost to Magdalena Grzybowska in round one, providing little indication of the form she was about to find – or the game that would see her eventually win seven slam singles titles.
The contrast to Gauff could hardly be greater, with plenty of expectation sure to be on her shoulders after Wimbledon wins over Venus, Magdalena Rybarikova and Polona Hercog and a defeat to Simona Halep in which she did herself no disservice.
