Coco Gauff is preparing to compete at the Wimbledon Championships, the prestigious third Grand Slam of the tennis season. Despite limited grass-court play this year, the American player’s recent French Open victory gives her confidence going into the tournament.
Wilander Sees Strong Wimbledon Prospects for Gauff
With no reigning Wimbledon champion among the current WTA top 10 and several formidable unseeded contenders, this year’s tournament is wide open. Since Gauff famously defeated Venus Williams at Wimbledon as a 15-year-old in 2019, she has faced challenges both at Wimbledon and on grass courts overall. However, this marks the first time she enters Wimbledon shortly after a Grand Slam triumph, a factor seven-time major winner Mats Wilander believes will be crucial.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Wilander expressed high expectations for Gauff’s performance, saying,
“I think Gauff is definitely up there with one of the two favorites of winning Wimbledon.”
Wilander highlighted Gauff’s improving serve and the confidence gained from her French Open success, which he expects will translate well to the grass courts at SW19. He also noted her exceptional movement, stating,
“She can move on an ice rink, and she’s going to be a great mover on grass. And I don’t think that that’s going to be a problem.”
Wilander further discussed Gauff’s growing tactical maturity on the court.
“I think her forehand is going to become better and better because she’s going to understand how much she needs to do with a forehand to win because she’s playing to win. She’s not playing to play great tennis. She’s playing to win.”
Could Gauff Reach the Summit of the WTA Rankings?
At 21 years old, Coco Gauff has already amassed significant achievements, including multiple Grand Slam titles and WTA 1000 victories. Yet, the top ranking spot remains out of reach, currently held by Aryna Sabalenka.
Gauff trails Sabalenka by just under 3,000 ranking points, a gap she could narrow with a strong run at Wimbledon. Wilander believes this recent success will boost Gauff’s consistency, a key element to competing for the world number one position. He remarked,
“I think Coco Gauff can definitely start to compete with being No. 1 in the world because I think she’ll become really consistent.”
He added,
“She is pretty consistent, but she’ll become more consistent with that extra confidence of having won her second Grand Slam title.”
Gauff’s potential rise to the top of women’s tennis rankings looks promising, supported by her enhanced confidence and ongoing development underlined by Wilander’s observations.
Looking Ahead to Wimbledon and Beyond
Coco Gauff’s upcoming appearance at Wimbledon carries significant weight, as it could stand as her strongest showing on grass, according to Wilander’s analysis. The combination of her physical agility, recent major title, and improving reliability on court positions her as a serious contender.
Should Gauff capitalize on this momentum, not only could she achieve her best Wimbledon result yet, but she could also begin closing in on the WTA world number one ranking. This tournament may mark a pivotal moment in her rising career trajectory, signaling greater successes in the near future.