Coco Gauff had a really strong season; in fact, she's the first player to finish ranked Top 3 in both singles and doubles on the WTA Tour since Serena Williams did in 2009.
Coco Gauff respects Serena Williams greatly, and had it not been for Williams, Gauff might have never picked up a racquet; however, she dislikes being compared to the legend.
It makes sense because it puts a lot of pressure on Gauff to live up to Serena, which she doesn't have to do. She's a different player with a different career and, one day different legacy.
She wants to be recognized as her own entity, and she's on a good path to doing so. Becoming a Grand Slam champion as a teenager is a pretty good way to be remembered in the long history of tennis.
Legendary achievements are another way to do that, and she had one this year. 2023 has been her best year on Tour by far, and it's reflected in the numbers. The American is the first player to finish in the top 3 of both singles and doubles since Serena Williams in 2009.
Great players used to play singles and doubles regularly in the past, but it's not so common nowadays. Gauff is one of those players who still does it, and she's had success on both sides.
In singles, the American finished as number 3 in the world, which is her career-best ranking. In doubles, Gauff also finished third even though her career-best ranking is number one, actually.
When Serena Williams did it in 2009, she was a bit better. She was number three in doubles while number one in singles.
Hopefully, Gauff keeps improving, and we will see another good year from her. The expectations certainly will be higher than before as she's now a Grand Slam champion.
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