Coco Gauff’s journey from a sensational 15-year-old at Wimbledon to a two-time major champion at 22 is a testament to her longevity at the top. Now, in Beijing, the 22-year-old is set to face one of the most anticipated young talents of the moment: 16-year-old Chinese star Sun Xinran.
Sun is making waves in her home country, coming off a US Open junior title and putting on a strong showing in Beijing with wins over Eva Lys and Cristina Bucsa. Gauff, who has been following the rising star, expressed high praise for Sun’s promising future, noting the immense pressure and excitement of playing a junior slam champion on the biggest stage of her career so far.
“I think she is really promising,” Gauff said. “At 16, to be winning a junior slam and competing on the biggest tournament probably so far of her career, I know she’s going to play great tennis against me. I’ve been in that position.”
Sun, speaking in Mandarin, expressed her excitement at the opportunity to face a Grand Slam champion. “I’ve been watching her matches on TV. This is a really great opportunity through my own effort. I will value this opportunity. I will try to do my best,” she said.
Despite her young age, Sun has shown great composure on court. She admitted to feeling nervous before her matches but once on the court, she focuses purely on the next point. “Before the match I was pretty nervous… but I didn’t think too much because I was just focusing point by point. When I’m on the court, I think I’m not that bad and there is not such a big gap,” Sun explained, adding that she trusts her own abilities and doesn’t feel inferior to higher-ranked opponents.
Gauff, reflecting on her own transition to the professional tour, shared some advice for Sun as she heads into the second year of her professional career. She warned against holding onto the high expectations from junior success, reminding the teenager that failing is a crucial part of growing up on tour.
“I think the biggest advice when you’re in your second year on tour, try not to keep those same expectations,” Gauff said. “She’ll be 17 on her second year. Remember that you’re 17 years old, you’re going to fail, you’re going to succeed. Obviously when you’re young, especially coming from juniors when you’re used to winning, it’s sometimes tough to lose. I think it’s really cool for her to continue to have a good tournament.”
This matchup is not just about the scoreline, but a meaningful bridge between the established star of the WTA and the future of the sport.
