'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABlAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQcQAAIABQMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAAQFEhQhMVEDBhETMgEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAURAAICAgIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAxEEBQASEzFh/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDCcqo1OhT2ZPzPXdPUFZrPln1Qi3Y78xObuKqhjbioPOirLoqgcADYQhBsMmd8zyEt0yWVbPoBV5W3TNjwaZo2KmbWJJIbvsxlkFm/g5//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Coco Gauff has all the ingredients to become the 'next great' American tennis star, as per leading tennis coach Brad Gilbert. However, Gilbert admitted that there is no guarantee whether Gauff will achieve those heights, suggesting she still has a long way to go.
Gauff, still only 18, is widely regarded as the biggest American hope to win multiple Grand Slams and emulate the likes of Serena and Venus Williams. The teenage tennis sensation is currently the singles world No. 6 and doubles world No. 3, having already won 10 WTA titles across the two formats.
Gilbert recently weighed in on the talk of Gauff potentially having a great career, particularly in singles, and praised her abundance of talent.
"She (Coco Gauff) has a world of talent and a great opportunity in the next 2-3 years to become the next great American player. But there's no given that it's just going to happen," Brad Gilbert said on a recent episode of the Craig Shapiro Tennis Podcast.
Gauff's immediate goal on the journey to clinching big titles will be to win the ongoing Indian Wells WTA 1000 tournament. Her campaign got off to an ideal start on Friday with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Cristina Bucsa.
Gauff, who has already matched her career-best result at Indian Wells, will face either Amanda Anisimova or Linda Noskova in the Round of 32.
Coco Gauff gives an insight into her pre-match preparations after win in Indian Wells opener
Coco Gauff often watches replays of her opponents' previous matches during a tournament, and video footage helps her get a good idea of what to expect when she takes to the court. Speaking after her Indian Wells win over Bucsa, Gauff said that she watched footage of Busca's previous matches as well.
The only time the American youngster prefers not to study her opponent's playing style through video footage is when she has only recently faced the player.
"Yeah, a lot of times I do that (watch video footage). Except if I have played the person fairly recently, usually I have already watched the match that I have played them in, so I don't really see the point of watching it again," Gauff said in her post-match press conference on Friday.
If Gauff wins her Round of 32 match, she could then face Jil Teichmann, who stunned fellow Swiss star Belinda Bencic in the second round. A quarterfinal clash between Gauff and world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka is also on the cards.
