Coco Gauff Reflects on Her Growth and the Rise of Mirra Andreeva After Italian Open Win
Coco Gauff’s tennis stardom began at just 15 years old during her unforgettable Wimbledon 2019 debut, where she defeated Venus Williams. That moment sparked worldwide attention and kicked off what many called “Coco-mania.” She soon claimed her first WTA title in Linz and, by 2023, lifted her first Grand Slam trophy at the US Open.
Now 21, Gauff is one of the top stars on the WTA Tour. On Wednesday, she added another highlight by beating seventh-ranked Mirra Andreeva 6-4, 7-6(5) to reach the Italian Open semifinals. With that win, Gauff became the fifth-youngest woman in the Open Era to reach three semifinals in Rome, having done so in 2021 and 2024 as well. She now holds a 4-0 record over the 18-year-old Andreeva, winning all seven sets across their meetings.
🇺🇸 Coco Gauff in press, on her 4-0 record over 18-year-old 🇷🇺 Mirra Andreeva:
“I don’t think about the H2H so much because when you’re playing someone younger, you know they can improve so much in a little bit of time.
“I think about my game compared to when I was her age and… pic.twitter.com/yRfkkE3N8y
— The First Serve (@TheFirstServeAU) May 14, 2025
Despite the dominant head-to-head, Gauff emphasized in her post-match press conference that she doesn’t dwell on such stats. “When you’re playing someone younger, you know they can improve so much in a little bit of time,” she said, reflecting on her own path. Gauff also acknowledged her own ups and downs—after winning the Auckland title early in 2024, she went through a 14-tournament title drought. During that stretch, she parted ways with coach Brad Gilbert and began working with Matt Daly, who has helped her regain top form this season.
Mirra Andreeva is on her own impressive path. With guidance from former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, she won her first title at the 2024 Iasi Open and has since claimed major WTA 1000 wins in Dubai and Indian Wells, defeating stars like Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Elena Rybakina. However, she has yet to beat Gauff, who believes mental strength and continual improvement are key.
“I think about my game compared to when I was her age and it’s a lot different,” Gauff said. “I expect her to keep getting better each time we play.” Gauff is now eyeing her first final in Rome after semifinal exits in both 2021 and 2024—losses that came at the hands of Swiatek.
With her recent run to the Madrid final and now the semis in Rome, Gauff is projected to move up to No. 2 in the world rankings on Monday, surpassing Swiatek. However, ranking isn’t her primary goal.
In a recent interview, Gauff made her stance clear: “It’s not really that much in my mind because I just want another slam.” She added, “If I win a Slam this year and don’t become number one, I will be satisfied. I’ll be more satisfied than if I became number one and didn’t win a Slam.”
Currently, Aryna Sabalenka holds the top spot with 11,118 points—more than 4,500 ahead of Gauff. Still, Gauff is focused on Grand Slam success over chasing points. Her closest shot at the French Open title came in 2022 when she finished runner-up to Swiatek. She’s also had a semifinal exit to the Pole in 2024 and didn’t make deep runs in recent majors, including a quarterfinal at this year’s Australian Open.
With a semifinal showdown potentially against Sabalenka or No. 8 Qinwen Zheng, Gauff now has a chance to break her Rome curse and prove that her focus on Slam titles is the right path to greatness.