Coco Gauff can make it a ‘Big Four’ in women’s tennis, says Ons Jabeur

PARIS – Coco Gauff’s game intelligence and fighting spirit will go a long way in establishing herself in the “Big Four” of women’s tennis, Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur said after losing to the American in the French Open quarter-finals on June 4.

Third seed Gauff battled back from a set down to beat Jabeur 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and reach the semi-finals for the second time. She finished runner-up in 2022.

Since Ashleigh Barty’s retirement in 2022, world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina have won six of the last eight Grand Slam titles to earn the “Big Three” tag.

But 20-year-old Gauff – who won her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open – has climbed up to third in the rankings, sandwiched between the big-hitting Sabalenka and world No. 4 Rybakina.

“I think Coco is an amazing player. My favourite thing about Coco is her fighting spirit. I think she’s playing great tennis right now,” said Jabeur.

“Obviously, she’s such a fighter, she always tries to find ways, she’s really smart on the court. I definitely see her becoming maybe (a member of) the ‘Big Four’. They have the ‘Big Three’ right now,” she added with a smile.

“I think she has a long way (to go). She’s what, No. 3 right now? And having a lot of things to improve, it’s actually good news for a player.”

Although Gauff had struggled during the clay-court swing as she looked to fine-tune her serve, the 20-year-old has worked on her weaknesses to turn them into potent weapons.

Against Jabeur, she consistently hit serves at 200kmh, with one serve clocking 205kmh – the fastest serve hit by a woman at Roland Garros in 2024.

“It was a tough match today, which I expected. Coco plays really well,” Jabeur added. “At certain moments, it was difficult for me to return her serves, mainly on my forehand.

“Coco was better (in) the moments, especially in the third set.”

Jabeur was roared on by a Tunisian contingent on Court Philippe-Chatrier as Gauff dropped the opening set, but the American grew in confidence in the second and stamped her authority in the third to book a date with Swiatek.

Said Gauff: “I like playing in atmospheres like this. I know you wanted her to win but even when I was in the bathroom, I was thinking this is really fun, win or lose.”

Gauff has lost 10 of her previous 11 meetings with Swiatek, all in straight sets, including in each of the two previous encounters at Roland Garros.

And the Pole is in ominous form, declaring that she was in the zone against Marketa Vondrousova.

Swiatek did her part to ensure a rematch of the 2022 French Open final by defeating the Czech 6-0, 6-2 later on June 4. She needed just 62 minutes to complete the rout of the 2019 runner-up.

After Swiatek’s 40-minute whitewash of Anastasia Potapova in the last 16, the only consolation for world No. 6 Vondrousova was her snapping her opponent’s incredible run of 20 consecutive games won early in the second set.

“Today it was pretty straightforward. I’m happy that I kept my focus. Sometimes I felt the game was pretty intense,” Swiatek said after making the Roland Garros semi-finals for the fourth time in five years.

“Sometimes the intensity went down a bit. I wanted to just play my game no matter what was coming back from Marketa. I felt like I was in the zone today.”

But even with her quest for a fourth French Open title heating up, Swiatek is trying not to think about the significance of her clash with Gauff.

“It’s good to keep going and not think of this match as something huge,” she said.

“Against Coco it isn’t easy. She really likes clay, especially here. I’ll just focus on myself and I’ll prepare tactically and we’ll see.” REUTERS, AFP