She’s Dominated on the Juniors Stage
It was abundantly clear early in Gauff’s career that she was a star in the making.
She joined the likes of Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Jenifer Capriati and Madison Keys as champions of the prestigious Junior Orange Bowl’s 12 & under tournament in 2016. Two years later, she won the Orange Bowl’s 18 & under tournament at age 14—becoming the youngest female champion since Nicole Vaidisova in 2003. She finished the tournament winning all seven matches in straight sets.
“I want to be the greatest of all time,” Gauff said after taking home the title.
Gauff has also put together impressive showings in Junior Grand Slams. When she was 13 years old, she became the youngest player to ever compete in a Junior U.S. Open Final—where she was runner-up. Last year, she took home the title at the Junior French Open. Before turning pro, Gauff was the youngest Junior World’s player to be ranked No. 1.
Originally posted 2019-07-01 18:08:07.