Baseline Awards of 2019: Teenage Dream

No matter your status on the WTA Tour, facing five-time champion Venus Williams in the first round at Wimbledon is a daunting task for anyone.

Who knew that a 15-year-old would have the nerves to pass such a test?

After qualifying for the main draw, Cori Gauff—more widely known as “Coco”—topped Williams, one of her idols, in the opening round, then proceed to reach the second week with two more impressive wins.

After her successful summer trip abroad, which helped her reach a new career-high in the rankings, it was time to hit the hard courts in preparation for the US Open. Gauff played one event before New York, the Citi Open in Washington, D.C. While the singles event didn’t work out for her, she and fellow American Caty McNally each won their first tour title in doubles.

At the US Open, Gauff-mania was in full effect as the teen prodigy advanced to the third round, with her run coming to an end at the hands of the defending champion, Naomi Osaka. At the end, they shared one of the most memorable post-match interviews in recent times.

Age restrictions kept Gauff from playing a full schedule, but she did manage to make the most of her time during the final weeks of the season. At the tournament in Linz, Austria, Gauff lost in the qualifying round, but got into the main draw as a Lucky Loser. From there, she went on to win her first singles title, topping 2017 French Open champ Jelena Ostapenko in the final. Closing out the season in Luxembourg, Gauff and McNally claimed their second title together.

Gauff finished the year in the top 100 in singles and doubles, and captivated tennis fans around the world. Expect more gains in all of those categories in the year ahead.