"What does winning majors have to do with that?": Petchey believes Grand Slam titles shouldn't be metric in defending Gauff best female athlete quote

Sunday, 01 October 2023 at 04:30

Former British player Mark Petchey defended his statement that Coco Gauff is the greatest female athlete in the history of tennis.

Coco Gauff's incredible North American tour led her to her highest WTA ranking as world No. 3, and she won three titles: her first WTA 500 in Washington, then her first WTA 1000 in Cincinnati, and finally her first Grand Slam at the US Open defeating new world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka.

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In a recent episode of the Inside In podcast, former tennis player Mark Petchey praised Coco Gauff's achievements and even referred to her as "the best women’s athlete to ever play tennis." Former American tennis player Tim Mayotte responded to the comments, saying it's too early to make such a claim.

"Yikes! Guys! Please! Its abit early. If she lost at the Open....," Mayotte posted on X.

Tim Mayotte

@TimMayotte

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Yikes! Guys! Please! Its abit early. If she lost at the Open....

TENNIS

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"I don't think we've seen a better athlete in women's tennis." Is @CocoGauff the best athlete in the history of the WTA? @_markpetchey thinks so. Here's why ➡️ link.chtbl.com/wwCNYXe5?sid=T…

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2:41 AM · Sep 29, 2023

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However, Petchey reiterated his point and illustrated it by citing Gael Monfils on the male tour:

"Tim, I love your opinions about tennis firstly and because of that I wanted to reply. I was making the observation I believe Coco is the best female athlete I have ever seen. What does winning Majors have to do with that?" he posted.

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"When we talk about the best male tennis athletes most agree Gael Monfils is the best we have had recently. No one then starts talking about his lack of Majors but many agree he is arguably the best," he added.

"I don’t believe the metric for best ever athlete should be Majors. However, as you are someone who believes in technique as much as I do, isn’t the fact Coco won the US Open with a forehand, most agree is suboptimal in terms of technique, further testament to the argument she is could be the best tennis female athlete ever?" he said about youngstar Coco Gauff.

Mark Petchey

@_markpetchey

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Replying to @TimMayotte

Tim, I love your opinions about tennis firstly and because of that I wanted to reply. I was making the observation I believe Coco is the best female athlete I have ever seen. What does winning Majors have to do with that? When we talk about the best male tennis athletes most

9:35 AM · Sep 29, 2023

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Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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