Novak Djokovic pays final praise to Coco Gauff after newest US Open win
Novak Djokovic heaped reward on Coco Gauff and insisted “things are coming together” for {the teenager} as she superior to the third spherical of the US Open. The American is chasing a maiden Grand Slam title and is a well-liked choose to succeed at Flushing Meadows amid an incredible run of kind.
Since shedding within the first spherical at Wimbledon earlier this summer time, Gauff has gained 13 of her final 14 matches – and dropped simply 4 units within the course of. She is having fun with an incredible run of form all through the hard-court season and can hope it interprets to a maiden Grand Slam victory in New York.
Gauff gained her fifth profession title on the Cincinnati Masters, turning into simply the fourth American champion of the occasion, following Lindsay Davenport (2004), Serena Williams (2014, 2015) and Madison Keys (2019) – it additionally gave her the most important title of her profession to this point. On her US Open journey, the 19-year-old got here from a set right down to defeat Laura Siegemund earlier than a straight-sets win over fellow teenager Mirra Andreeva.
After Gauff praised Djokovic’s on-court positivity, the Serb determined to return the favor by talking extremely of the American’s strengths and profession prospects. The 23-time Grand Slam champion believes Gauff is destined for giant issues with the mix of her bodily items and training workers.
“Coco is on the rise,” Djokovic stated. “I think, you know, she’s yet to win a Grand Slam, but played in the finals. She’s still young, but now Brad Gilbert on her side with the great experience of coaching some of the greats, I think things are coming together for her.
“She played really good tennis in Cincinnati and also she’s been playing well here. She’s got the home support, of course, which is always welcome and needed. Physically she seems to be very fit. She’s striking the ball very well.”
Gauff – the French Open runner-up in 2022 – is taken into account one of many contenders because of her unimaginable kind. At the Cincinnati Masters, Gauff overcame World No. 1 Iga Swiatek for the primary time in her profession, earlier than seeing off Karolina Muchova within the closing to say the primary 1000 degree title of her younger profession.
While Djokovic doesn’t perceive the house stress of competing at a Grand Slam just like the US Open, he understands the challengers younger gamers face as they search to match expectation. The 36-year-old referred to as for persistence, pointing to how early Gauff broke by means of on the most important stage.
“You know, I think she broke to the kind of top of the women’s game quite early,” Djokovic added. “Some years ago I think she was like 16, 17, when she played fourth round of Wimbledon. But it still takes some time, a few years for things to come together where you feel that you are complete as a player, that you are ready to win slams and dominate the game.
“I think she’s coming very close to that stage and that level. So I’m sure that she has very high hopes for US Open and she should, because she’s playing really well.”
Gauff is getting ready to tackle Belgium’s Elise Mertens within the third spherical of the US Open. Meanwhile, Djokovic, a three-time US Open champion, will look to take care of his kind when he faces compatriot and World No. 38 Laslo Djere within the third spherical on Friday.