Daniela Hantuchova recently raved about Coco Gauff. The former player-turned-commentator compared the American teen’s big-game abilities to 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, while selecting her as the favorite to win the 2023 WTA Finals.
Gauff is the favorite to beat on the 2023 WTA Tour. After winning the ASB Classic with an impressive performance in January, the American has had a few quiet months on the track. She followed that up with a prolific performance during the North American summer hard court season, winning the U.S. Open, Cincinnati Open and Washington Open.
Against this backdrop, former world number five Daniela Hantuchova believes Coco Gauff is ready to do well at the year-end tournament in Cancun. In an interview with Tenis Portal, the Slovakian compared her to Serena Williams, deducing that both players really enjoy playing on the big stage.
She also mentioned that the lineup for the 2023 WTA Year-End Finals is top-notch, saying:
“It’s packed here, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be Coco Gauff. She won the last Grand Slam, she loves hard courts, she’s a great fighter and she has a lot to do with Serena The common denominator. She loves the big stage when all eyes are on her, and that’s why I love her.”
Serena Williams is the second most successful singles player in the history of the event, behind eight-time champion Martina Navratilova. Team USA has dominated the year-end tournament five times: 2001, 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
In 2009, she also reached the doubles semifinals with her sister Venus.
Coco Gauff becomes the most defeated player in 2023 in both singles and doubles
Coco Gauff is having a breakout season on the WTA Tour this year. To date, the 19-year-old has compiled an impressive 49-14 record, won four championships, reached a career-high ranking of third in the world, and earned $11.5 million in prize money.
The American player’s last match was at the recently concluded China Open. She dropped just one set in her first four games before losing to familiar opponent Iga Swiatek 2-6, 3-6 in the last four games of the WTA 500 tournament.
Gauff also achieved impressive results in doubles. She rose to world No. 1 in the doubles rankings in September during a quarterfinal match at Flushing Meadows with Jessica Pegula. The pair won two titles in Miami and Doha while finishing runners-up in Rome and Madrid.