Coco Gauff emulates Sharapova with latest impressive career milestone

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Tennis starlet Coco Gauff is continuing her remarkable rapid rise after adding yet another record to her CV. Gauff has announced herself as one of the sport’s brightest prospects over the past year, especially after reaching her maiden Grand Slam final at the French Open this summer.

Despite being just 18, the American star has announced herself as one of the world’s best players having reached a career-best of eighth in the world rankings at the end of last month. Now Gauff has added another milestone to her glittering resume, emulating the great Maria Sharapova.

After picking up a quarter-final finish at this week’s WTA 1000 event in Guadalajara, the youngster secured a spot at the WTA Finals, the youngest player to do so since Sharapova way back in 2004. Gauff will also compete in the end of season event in the doubles side of the draw with fellow American Jessica Pegula.

After securing her spot, the teenage star told TENNIS magazine: “I think my year, it started off rocky. But I think for the most part, definitely, probably the best year of my career so far. And if you told myself in January that I would be in the race and had all these accomplishments, I probably would have not believed you. 

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“But as my dad would say, it’s not about how you start. It’s how you finish. Qualifying for doubles, I knew with the year Jess [Pegula] and I had, that would be kind of set in stone, but for singles it makes it even more exciting.

“I feel like it is very hard [to reach the finals] you know, it is called a race for a reason. I told my dad today I’m pushing my chest out to the finish line so I was just happy to win today [in Mexico] to secure that spot.”

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Gauff has enjoyed quite the year with doubles partner Pegula, having reached four finals and winning three of them. Like the teenanger her American partner is also looking forward to the end of season finale.

Pegula said: “It’s a huge honour. When we did well earlier this year we were also doing well in singles. But we were like ‘we want to make year-end Finals for doubles and singles as well.’ So I think for us to be able to play doubles is awesome.”

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