Coco Gauff’s dad Corey named the PTR touring coach of the year

Coco Gauff’s sensational rise into the top 100 of the WTA rankings has been an inspiring tennis story. The 15-year-old is currently 51^st on the ranking. This time last year, she was ranked 579^th and had only played in six tournaments. It was her successful run at the 2019 Wimbledon tournament that began her climb in the rankings.

Coco’s Wimbledon run

The American teenager became the youngest player to reach the main draw of the tournament. She then stunned the tennis world when she defeated Venus Williams in the first round. She would advance to the fourth round of the tournament before suffering defeat to the eventual champion, Simona Halep. Coco went on to win her first WTA title in October at the Linz Open. Throughout her phenomenal rise in the world of tennis, her dad, Corey Gauff has been a constant influence, coaching her and helping her to cope with the pressure that comes with achieving success at such a young age.

Corey awarded for his influence on his daughter’s career

This week, the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) named Corey the Touring Coach of the Year. The tennis organization recognized his efforts in Coco’s remarkable rise. The PTR is one of the largest tennis bodies, with over 16,000 members in 131 countries. Its mission is to educate and certify tennis teachers and coaches around the world in order to facilitate the growth of the game. PTR’s recognition of Corey comes as no surprise since he has been with Coco every step of the way in her blossoming career.

Corey helped his daughter win her first title at the Linz Open last year. With the 15-year-old leading Jelena Ostapenko in the final set, she called a time out after her opponent won a couple of match points. Corey implored her to calm down and told her to focus on her strength and wrap up the match. She followed his advice and was victorious. In addition to defeating the 2017 French Open winner in the final, Coco also beat Kiki Bertens in the quarterfinals. She credited her father for his great coaching at the tournament. “He gave me the best advice. I guess he didn’t really tell me how to play, he just told me to stay calm and stay focused.” Coco has continued her great form this season. She reached the fourth round at the Australian Open last month and had some notable victories, including a second win over Venus Williams and her first victory over Naomi Osaka.

Cori Gauff’s ranking and performance in 2020

Now ranked no.51 (career-high), Cori played her last match on the 26^th of January when she was overcome by Sofia Kenin 6-7⁵ 6-3 6-0 in the 4^th round of the Australian Open.