WTA legend Martina Navratilova gave her thoughts on the upcoming Australian Open, and believes American tennis star Coco Gauff is a legitimate contender for the title at the first Grand Slam of the season.
Gauff has played flawless tennis to start the year, leading Team United States to the United Cup title after going 7-0 at the international event. The 20-year old ended last year by winning the WTA Finals title, and looks ready to ride her momentum into the new year.
In a piece for with the official WTA website, Navratilova gave her thoughts on Gauff's potential to win the first Major of the year. The retired WTA star pointed out Gauff's ability to adapt during matches, stating the Atlanta native could shake things up by winning the Happy Slam.
"Yeah, of course," replied Navratilova when asked if Gauff was a legitimate contender for the title. "She’s the more complete player. She moves better than anybody. She’s quicker and faster than anybody. She’s also really good at recovering from awkward situations on the court, ad-libbing.
"Coco would get [Jessica] Pegula in the quarters. Coco has more weapons, Jessie is more consistent. The forehand is still attackable, so is the serve. But she’s been dealing with it very well so far this year. If anyone's going to shake things up at the top of the rankings, it’s Coco."