19-Year-Old Coco Gauff’s US Open Triumph Fuels Pride in American Legend Chris Evert as She Takes a Sneaky Dig at Struggling Emma Raducanu

Much to the joy of American tennis fans, Coco Gauff clinched her maiden grand slam title at the recently concluded US Open. The 19-year-old American defeated new world number 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the finals to prove her mettle on the grand stage. Gauff has been under the spotlight ever since she burst onto the scene as a 15-year-old in 2019. Her story unraveled like a fairytale, with the American catapulting her nation to the pedestal. It was as if the culmination of all her talent took place as she lifted the US Open trophy on Saturday. Moreover, an American all-time tennis great hailed her for the historical achievement.

Gauff’s heroics have caught the attention of American tennis icon Chris Evert. Clinching glory for his nation is something that Evert knows precisely well. The American heaped praises on Coco Gauff and explained why she was unlikely to suffer the same fate as another young grand slam winner – Emma Raducanu.

Chris Evert backs Coco Gauff to handle success, unlike Emma Raducanu

Just like Coco Gauff, Britain’s Emma Raducanu knows what it feels like to have all the limelight on her as a prodigy. Raducanu became the first qualifier to win a grand slam at the 2021 US Open as an 18-year-old and was touted to take over the WTA tour in the upcoming years. However, the monumental pressure got the better of her, as she failed to reach that level ever since. She is currently recovering from injuries that forced her to undergo 3 separate surgeries earlier this year.  Chris Evert feels that Coco Gauff is now capable enough to handle the weight of success and won’t go down the same path as Emma Raducanu.

 “I am glad Coco Gauff did not win as a younger teenager because it can be a bad thing for players. There are examples of that. Look at Emma Raducanu.. It puts a lot of pressure on the player because they are not emotionally developed yet and they cannot handle it. Coco is now ready to win”, she said, as per the Daily Express.

Bearing the weight of the world on her teenage shoulders could have proved to be a daunting task for her. However, she showed tremendous mental toughness to overcome her peers who bore the same burden. The American is also unlikely to fall from the spotlight. Unlike many of the greats who took their time to develop their skillset, Gauff is already showing signs of promise.

Her superior physicality and her resilience to overcome the pitfalls that come both on and off the court is a quality that is sure to serve her well in the future. Moreover, she has garnered praise from many for the same including her tennis idol Serena Williams.

Gauff’s US Open heroics earned her plaudits from her idol Serena Williams

Coco Gauff’s incredible run of form in recent months paid dividends in the grandest of ways. She became the first American teenager to clinch the US Open title since the legendary Serena Williams in 1999. Moreover, she also became the youngest winner since Emma Raducanu in 2021.

Her achievements caught the attention of Serena Williams herself, who took to her Instagram account to congratulate and praise the 19-year-old youngster. This victory propelled Gauff to as high as number 3 in the WTA rankings.

Many tennis fans and experts are starting to believe that Coco Gauff may be the right successor to Serena Williams. They believe that she’s already displaying the right signs in propelling women’s tennis in America to new heights.

READ MORE: American Tennis Star Coco Gauff Arguably Records the Most Savage Trophy Celebration in Tennis History After Striking a Pose With the WWE Championship

Can Gauff emulate the monumental success of her idol, Serena Williams, in the future? Tell us what you think in the comments.

WATCH THIS STORY: Serena Williams pays tribute to Roger Federer