Coco Gauff has quickly established herself as one of the top players on the WTA Tour, and she’s already one of the most recognisable names in the sport.
At just 22, she’s a two-time Grand Slam champion and arguably the face of American tennis at this moment.
And when it comes to representing the future of tennis, there aren’t many better equipped for it than her.
Still, she’s always quick to recognise those who came before her. Ironically though, Alcaraz picked a player who is still active on tour.
Gauff picks her perfect player
Asked to piece together the perfect tennis player, Gauff chose a different name for each area of the game, picking from both past and present players.
She started with forehand, going with Carlos Alcaraz. “I would say Carlos, just because I feel like he can hit a rocket from anywhere in the court,” she said.
For backhand, she backed herself and picked her own. For serve, she went with Ivo Karlovic – a choice driven by pure stats.
On mentality, Gauff didn’t hesitate to choose Rafael Nadal. “Mentality, I’m gonna go Rafa. [Nadal] I think he has a great mentality,” she said.
Tennis fashion was another easy call for Gauff: “Serena Williams. Yeah, she has probably the best tennis fashion ever.”
It’s interesting that Gauff brought up Alcaraz not long after Joao Fonseca sparked debate by rating his forehand as the best on tour.
Carlos Alcaraz’s forehand compared to Rafael Nadal’s
In 2024, Alcaraz was asked to weigh his forehand against Rafael Nadal’s, a topic that naturally drew attention given the legacy of the Spaniard.
It put the then 21-year-old in a tricky spot, trying to balance self-confidence with respect for one of tennis’ all-time greats and his own idol growing up.
Alcaraz didn’t shy away from giving credit where it was due, saying: “I am at the start of my career, so I have to choose Rafa’s forehand at the moment.”
But he didn’t rule out closing that gap over time: “But I am really happy with my forehand as well, so let’s see at the end of my career who has the better forehand.”
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