Sports

On To Wimbledon: Atlanta Native Cori Gauff, 15, Qualifies For Grand Slam Tournament

June 28th, 2019

Cori “Coco” Gauff will be the 12th-youngest player to compete in women’s singles at Wimbledon since professionals were first admitted in 1968. The 11 who were younger all got spots in the draw via direct entry, rather than qualifying.

Thibault Camus / Associated Press

Cori “Coco” Gauff, a 15-year-old who was born in Atlanta, has become the youngest player to reach Wimbledon’s main draw for women’s singles via qualifying in the Open era.

Gauff made it into the tournament with a 6-1, 6-1 victory that lasted just 55 minutes in the final round of qualifying Thursday against Greet Minnen, a 21-year-old from Belgium.

Remember the name.

Aged 15 years and 122 days, America’s @CocoGauff becomes the youngest #Wimbledon qualifier in the Open Era after beating Greet Minnen 6-1, 6-1 pic.twitter.com/PSWlOiRNkB

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 27, 2019

Gauff is ranked 301st, Minnen 129th.

Gauff, now based in Florida, will be the 12th-youngest player to compete in women’s singles at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament since professionals were first admitted in 1968.

The 11 who were younger all got spots in the draw via direct entry, rather than qualifying.

The last entrant under 16 was Britain’s Laura Robson, who was 15 in 2009.

UPDATE: Gauff won her Wimbledon first-round match Monday against 39-year-old Venus Williams, 6-4, 6-4. The teenager calls Williams one of her idols. Gauff said, in an interview, that she finally “had the guts” to tell Williams after the match how she inspired her. Gauff added that she is living her dream now.

Made for the big stage ✨@CocoGauff becomes the youngest player since 1991 to win in the first round of the ladies' singles, beating Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/hfgcQGdZtq

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 1, 2019