African-American Tennis Sensation Coco Gauff Clinches Third Win of Season

Coco Gauff, an American professional tennis player secured her third tournament victory this season by defeating Karolina Muchova in the final of the Southern and Western Open. 

The young American, seeded seventh, displayed an impressive performance, defeating the 17th-ranked player in the world, with a final score of 6-3, 6-4. The match lasted for nearly two hours, as Gauff showcased her skills to claim the win in Cincinnati.

The 19-year-old’s triumph guarantees her a rise to the sixth position in the WTA rankings next week. Despite the loss, Czech player Muchova will find solace in securing a spot within the top 10 rankings. 

In the second set, Muchova demonstrated her resilience by saving three match points at a score of 5-2 and managed to recover one break. Nevertheless, Gauff remained determined and emerged as the victor.

Gauff credit to her coach

Just prior to Wimbledon, Gauff enlisted the services of Pere Riba, a former men’s top-100 player, as her main coach. Subsequently, before the D.C. tournament, she brought in Brad Gilbert as a consultant, temporarily joining her coaching team. 

Gilbert, an ex-top-10 player, and current ESPN commentator, has an impressive coaching record, notably working successfully with players like Andre Agassi and Andy Roddick.

What you should know about Gauff

Gauff became the fourth teenage finalist in the tournament, marking the first instance since Vera Zvonareva in 2004. Additionally, she achieved the distinction of being the first teenage champion since Linda Tuero in 1968, at the age of 17.

She achieved a career-best ranking of No. 4 in the world according to the Singles Women’s Tennis Association, a milestone she reached on October 24, 2022. Furthermore, she attained the top position in doubles, becoming world No. 1 on August 15, 2022.