17 February 2020

Tennis legend Boris Becker tells Coco Gauff she still has 'a lot to learn' to reach the top

Tennis icon Boris Becker believes it is a mistake for people to pile pressure on teenage sensation Coco Gauff because she still has 'to learn a lot'.

World No. 51 Gauff, who has now reached the third round of all but one of the Grand Slams before her 16th birthday, is being tipped for future domination of women's tennis.

But Becker, who won the first of his six Slam titles at Wimbledon at the age of just 17, is urging those supporting the American to be cautious about her development because of the depth of competition in the women's game.

He said: "Sofia Kenin won in Australia. One year ago, everybody was talking about Naomi Osaka.

"Now people talk a lot about Coco Gauff and I think it's a mistake because she is still very young. She still has to learn a lot to be better. She is still a child. We get sidetracked sometimes looking at a story and not at the performance.

"Serena coming back after becoming a mother is a big story. She did reach a couple of Grand Slam finals so she is one match away from her 24th major."

Gauff has been nominated for Breakthrough of the Year at the Laureus Awards, which are hosted by Hugh Grant tonight in Berlin.

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