This archive report was first published on 4 July 2019.
Coco Gauff, a 15-year-old tennis sensation, has been making headlines at Wimbledon with her impressive skills and charming personality. The youngest qualifier for the women's singles has been handling the attention and pressure with ease, signing autographs and posing for selfies with fans.
According to Sloane Stephens, the 2017 US Open champion, Gauff's age has to be taken into account, but she hopes the young player will not be dazzled by all the attention. Stephens said, 'I think she's a kid, and she needs to be a kid. Like I said, it's very overwhelming at times. A lot of things happen, and tennis becomes secondary.'
World number one Ashleigh Barty, who knows the pitfalls of the sport, said Gauff's composure on court augurs well for her future. 'Looks like a big-game player,' Barty said. 'Loves the spotlight. Loves the moment.'
Men's 2018 semi-finalist John Isner knows both Gauff and her dad and predicts she will be fine. 'She's so young, and I think most importantly she has a great head on her shoulders,' he said. 'She's very calm and measured. At least to my naked eye, it seems like that. She's got a great future.'
