"Maybe it is now": Mirra Andreeva could have earlier breakthrough than Coco Gauff admits Lindsay Davenport

Former world number one Lindsay Davenport has backed Russia’s young tennis star Mirra Andreeva to win a major title earlier than America’s Coco Gauff.

Gauff is often regarded as the most highly-rated player currently playing in the women’s single category in the circuit. She lived up to the hype after winning her maiden Grand Slam title after beating the current world number two Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the US Open in 2023 with a score of 4–6, 6–3, 6–4.

On the other hand, Andreeva, who is just 16-year-old, is also regarded as the next big thing and she made a statement recently after beating the current world number six Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in the second round of the Australian Open in straight sets with a score of 6-0, 6-2.

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Davenport, who won three Grand Slams in her illustrious career, was recently quoted in a report where she backed young Andreeva to get success earlier than Gauff.

"It's pretty wild when you look at the draw just to see how much carnage there is for the seeded players,” she said. “But a lot of the names we've been talking about all week, you have to put Mirra Andreeva at the top of that list based on not only her form in this tournament but also the draw. There are a lot of opportunities there."

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"I think everybody in tennis and the players know she is the real deal. She is coming; She is going to be in the Top 10. She's going to be in the conversation of being a Grand Slam champion. You just never know when the player reaches that point in their own mind. Sometimes, it is this young. Sometimes it might take until 17 or 18.

"Gauff wins a major at 19, but we started talking about her when she was 15. Maybe it is now for Andreeva. Let's wait and see how she follows up her big win after taking out Jabeur so easily."