Coco Gauff has the potential to win multiple Grand Slams due to a level field at the top of the WTA, according to Andy Roddick.
Gauff's incredible recent form reached the pinnacle at the US Open when she came back from a set down to defeat world number one Aryna Sabalenka in the final. The win at Flushing Meadows, following successive title victories at the Citi Open and Cincinnati Masters, helped the 19-year-old break into the WTA top three, which has recently been occupied by Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina.
Ultimately, Gauff's rise has the potential to create a new era for the elite level of women's tennis, which could be ultra-competitive in the coming years. When talking to Betway and reflecting on Gauff's success, former US Open champion Roddick feels that the lack of one dominant player in the WTA opens the door for players like Gauff trying to break in.
"The difference is that she’s not going to stop at one. There are dominant forces in women’s tennis, but I don’t think three players are going to win 66 of the next however many Slams, so there’s a much better runway for her."
"With different women’s winners at the four Slams this year, there’s an intriguing level of parity. It seems to be building towards men’s tennis in the 80s, where you had a bunch of players with the potential to win a handful rather than everything resting on one or two people."
Roddick won his sole Grand Slam title at the 2003 US Open before the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic went on to dominate the major competitions. However, the former ATP player said that Gauff's win at Flushing Meadows had a certain symbolism that could launch the teenager's career, similar to WTA greats Serena and Venus Williams.
"Venus and Serena were Coco’s idols, so to announce herself on the Grand Slam stage in the first year of the US Open after Serena’s retirement – a tournament where we saw Serena carry the public interest for a couple of decades – is pretty poetic."
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