Spanish coaching great Toni Nadal has hailed Coco Gauff for winning the 2023 US Open to prove all the experts skeptical wrong about her limits as a prodigy.
Toni lauded American’s ability to cope with the pressure of expectations and comparisons and described her as a “very sensible athlete” having good perspective. Gauff overcame WTA #1, Aryna Sabalenka in three sets in the US Open final earlier this month to claim her maiden major.
The 19-year-old has also secured the career high rank of WTA world No. 3 following the 18 match (out of 19) win streak. The superb run also saw her won 3 of her last 4 tournaments. Gauff following her defeat in the opener at the All England Club came back strong to seal Washington title at home, reached quarters in Montreal and secured her maiden WTA 1000 title in Cincinnati before clinching her first major at Flushing Meadows.
Toni who also takes pen to write for Spanish media, this time shared her thoughts on Gauff’s major achievement while writing for El Pais.
“With this incredible victory, the Atlanta tennis player has managed to take a big weight off her shoulders. At the age of 15 she became the youngest player in history to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon,” wrote the Mallorcan.
“The promise of the women’s circuit and the great hope of North American tennis. From that moment on, she had to endure pressure, comparisons and comments. In recent times, some experts ventured with surprising avidity that the player, despite her very young age, had already reached her limit.
“I’m glad that, with tenacity, work and great education, she managed to prove them wrong. I don’t know her personally, but seeing her celebration full of emotion, and, at the same time, far from the stridency of this histrionic current world, she seems to me a very sensible athlete.”
Uncle Nadal also expressed his admiration for the attitude and perspective the 19-year-old star has carried at such a young age to defy her doubters
“I also found her statements at the press conference after her triumph in which she downplayed the importance of the pressure she endures very remarkable,” continued the 62-year-old.
“She admitted that, of course, she feels it and that normal nerves accompany her, but she added that she is aware of her privileged situation. One more example of good sense and good perspective, despite her youth.”
Nadal, a renowned coach in the tennis world has worked with his nephew Rafael Nadal from his childhood until 2017, guiding him to win 16 of his 22 majors making him only second to Novak Djokovic who has won his 24th Grand Slam at US Open earlier in September. Toni is presently coaching #14 seed Felix Auger-Aliassime since 2021.