Coco Gauff at 20 – 10 pivotal moments as a teenager

As Coco Gauff celebrates her 20th birthday – happy birthday, Coco! – we look back at some of her pivotal moments as a teenager.

1 – 2017: runner-up in US Open girls’ event, aged 13

Gauff was the youngest finalist in the history of the US Open girls’ singles, reaching the final without dropping a set. She lost in the final to fellow American Amanda Anisimova.

2 – 2018: Wins first professional match

In May 2018, Gauff qualified for the main draw in the ITF event in Osprey, Florida, where she won her first professional match, beating Alexandra Perper 6-2, 6-3.

3 – 2018: Wins French Open junior title

The following year, Gauff sauntered through the draw, again not dropping a set. She faced another American in the final, again, but this time she came from a set down to beat Caty McNally for her first Grand Slam junior title.

4 – 2019: Beats Venus Williams on Wimbledon debut at 15

Gauff became the youngest woman ever to qualify for the main draw at Wimbledon, beating top seed Aliona Bolsova, Valentina Ivakhnenko and Greet Minnen. But it was her first-round win over five-time champion Venus Williams, in straight sets, that announced her on the world scene. At 15, she was the youngest player to win a match there since Jennifer Capriati in 2015.

5 – 2019: Wins first WTA Tour title in Linz, breaks top 100

Gauff actually lost in qualifying but after getting into the main draw as a lucky loser, she took full advantage, beating Kiki Bertens and then Jelena Ostapenko in the final to become the youngest woman to win a WTA Tour title since 2004. The win put her inside the world’s top 100 for the first time.

6 – 2020: BEATS DEFENDING CHAMPION OSAKA AT AUSTRALIAN OPEN

In the third round of the Australian Open, Gauff caused a major shock by knocking out the defending champion, Naomi Osaka. It was her first win over a top-5 player.

7 – 2021: MISSES OLYMPICS AFTER TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID-19

Gauff was all set to be the youngest tennis player to compete at the Olympics since 2000 but was forced to withdraw from Tokyo after she tested positive for Covid-19.

8 – 2022: REACHES FIRST SLAM SINGLES FINAL AT ROLAND-GARROS

A quarter-finalist the previous year, Gauff beat Rebecca Marino, Alison Van Uytvanck, Kaia Kanepi, Elise Mertens, Sloane Stephens and Martina Trevisan to reach her first Grand Slam final. She lost to Iga Swiatek in straight sets in the final. She also reached the doubles final.

9 – 2022: BECOMES WORLD NO 1 IN DOUBLES, REACHES TOP 10 IN SINGLES

Gauff and Jessica Pegula won their second Masters 1000 doubles title with victory in Canada, a win that put Gauff on top of the world doubles rankings for the first time. After making the quarter-finals at the US Open, she broke into the top 10 in singles too.

10 – 2023: HIRES BRAD GILBERT, WINS US OPEN TITLE, HITS NO 3

Gauff added Brad Gilbert, the former coach of Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray, to her team in the summer of 2023 and immediately won both Cincinnati and then, at the US Open, her first slam singles title, beating Aryna Sabalenka in three sets. She climbed to a career-best No 3 ranking as a result.

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