Coco Gauff has an inner strength that is completely unusual, says coach Mouratoglou

Cori Gauff has impressed with a couple of incredible runs in Wimbledon 2019 and at the recent Australian Open after she reached the second week of both slams beating the likes of Venus Williams and Naomi Osaka. At 16 years of age, the young American seems to be destined for greatness also because she is unusually mature and confident.

Coco has been impressing with her stance against racism in the last few days, affected by the protests that followed the horrible killing of George Floyd. The teenager didn’t hesitate to take the stage and talk about the importance of taking a strong position to fight racism.

Why Coco Gauff is different. MOURATOGLOU

Coco has been working with Serena Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou that is a gifted talent-scout. Talking with the Guardian, the Frenchman revealed that he was impressed by Coco as soon as he met her when she was just 10.

“She’s just different. It’s something I have known since I met her – she came to my academy at 10. I spoke to her, I had an individual one-on-one discussion with her. I said: ‘Guys, she’s different.,'” he commented.

Patrick remained fascinated by Coco’s maturity that manifested at a very early age when competing.

“When you meet people who are exceptional, you know it. I feel it straight away. Since that day, she’s been surprising me all the time, even though I know she’s so special. At 14 she was more mature than women on tour who are 25. That’s incredible,” he added.

Self-confidence is also part of Coco’s unique package according to Patrick. Once he recalled that she wrote on social media that she wants to be the “greatest.” That is interesting because usually young tennis players aim at winning a slam or becoming the world no.1. She went completely on a new level.

“She has an inner strength that is completely unusual. She has a self-confidence that serves her in her tennis, but to be able to come and make a speech at 16 the way she did? You don’t see that. Again, she surprised me. I’m not surprised that I am surprised, but I’m surprised,” he commented.

Cori Gauff in 2020

Ranked world no.52, the American played her last match on the 26^th of January when she surrendered to Sofia Kenin 6-7⁵ 6-3 6-0 in the 4^th round of the Australian Open.