Coco Gauff's outstanding feats as a teenager have been shown again with another impressive statistic.
Gauff defeated Elena Svitolina to win the title in Auckland. She did it with a battling display, having to fight back from losing the opening set in a tie-break to claim a 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3 victory.
It is also Gauff's second title in a row in Auckland. The 19-year-old has yet to have a lot of success at the Australian Open, but she hopes that making a perfect start to the season again can help change that.
Gauff's triumph in Auckland is the seventh title of her still very short career and is also the first tournament she has won since that memorable run to the US Open title in August and September.
Seven titles as a teenager is a superb achievement, and Gauff still has the next two months before she turns 20 to add to that. However, there are two former WTA players, who competed after the year 2000, who have more titles as teenagers, and whom Gauff will not overtake.
OptaAce reported that Kim Clijsters is second on the list. The Belgian won her first title in Luxembourg as a 16-year-old and managed 12 titles as a teenager. Clijsters would go on to win four Grand Slam titles, including three US Open crowns.
Maria Sharapova is at the top of the list of teenagers in the 21st century. She was also 16 when she secured a maiden WTA title at the Japan Open. 15 of the 36 titles that Sharapova won were as a teenager, and the former world No. 1 ended her career with five Grand Slam titles.
Can Gauff emulate or even surpass those two legends of the sport? It would take a brave person to bet against her, with the 19-year-old's game developing so quickly.
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