Cori Gauff to be women's tennis next big superstar despite Iga Swiatek emergence, says Chris Evert

ByEurosport

Updated 03/10/2020 at 10:52 GMT

Chris Evert has backed Cori Gauff to be women's tennis' next big superstar despite the emergence of 19-year-old Iga Swiatek who reached the fourth round of the French Open and Australian Open - as well as the third in the US Open this year.

Chris Evert has backed Cori Gauff to be women's tennis' next big superstar despite the emergence of 19-year-old Iga Swiatek.

Evert predicted three years ago that Naomi Osaka would go on to great things. Since then the Japanese player has gone on to win three Grand Slam titles and is now ranked number one in the world.

Gauff, 16, went out in the French Open second round this year after double-faulting 19 times in a 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 loss to 159th-ranked qualifier Martina Trevisan.

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When asked if she thought 19-year-old Iga Swiatek, who is into the fourth round of the French Open, will go on to do great things, she sticks with her prediction that Gauff will go further.

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"I’m still going to go for Coco Gauff," the seven-time French Open champion said.

"I don’t know what’s going on with her service. I mean I know what’s going on with her service, I know she’s doing technically wrong and I think that she’s in her sophomore year on the tour and I think things are a lot different now than they were last year when she could play with a lot of freedom and no pressure.

"Now we can tell she’s nervous out there, she’s double faulting, 16 or 17 times a match. But I still think that in 2 years’ time, it’s very possible she will win a Grand Slam. I’m a believer in her, her ability and her mindset right now.

"In saying that, there are so many players, there are so many depths right now that’s incredible, and so many young players are coming up.

"It would be easier to tell if there wasn’t a pandemic and there were tournaments every single week because then you could really see how good these players are.

It’s tough right now but Coco would be my pick.

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