By Tennis Now | Thursday, July 18, 2018
The US Open plans on awarding 15-year-old phenom Coco Gauff a wild card, citing "exempt" status from the WTA's age eligibility rule, according to a New York Post report.
Photo credit: Coco Gauff Instagram
Coco mania is coming to the Big Apple.
The USTA plans to award 15-year-old phenom Coco Gauff a US Open wild card in the Flushing Meadows major despite the fact the world No. 141 has already reached her limit of wild cards for the season under the WTA's age-eligibility rule.
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"We would expect to see Coco in the main draw of the US Open,’’ USTA director of communications Chris Widmaier told The New York Post’s Marc Berman. “She certainly won the hearts of tennis fans in our country with her Wimbledon performance.
“It’s not every day an athlete of her age becomes water-cooler talk.”
Indeed, Gauff generated global buzz with her inspired run to the Wimbledon fourth round crossing over to pop culture star with public figures from actor Samuel L. Jackson to former First Lady Michelle Obama praising her on social media.
Granted a wild card into Wimbledon qualifying, Gauff won three qualifying matches then stunned former world No. 1 Venus Williams in her main-draw opener. Gauff captivated tennis fans around the world fighting off two match points points stunning Polona Hercog, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 7-5, to charge into the Wimbledon round of 16 where she fell to eventual-champion Simona Halep.
The 15-year-old Floridian became the youngest woman to reach the round of 16 since a 14-year-old Jennifer Capriati advanced to the final four in 1991.
The US Open's plan to award Gauff a wild card will circumvent the WTA age-eligibility rule on wild cards.
The WTA age-eligibility rule states: "Between the date of a player’s 15th birthday and the day before her 16th birthday, a player may participate in a maximum of 10 professional tennis Tournaments; plus the WTA Finals or WTA Elite Trophy (if she qualifies); plus Fed Cup...players are permitted to receive a maximum of three wild cards."
Gauff, who celebrates her 16th birthday on March 13th, 2020, has already used her three wild cards for the season—in the Miami Open main draw where she earned her first WTA-level win, at Roland Garros qualifying, where she fell in the second round and at Wimbledon qualifying.
Widmaier told the Post it’s his understanding the US Open is “exempt” from the WTA rule therefore Gauff can play the Flushing Meadows major on a wild card. A WTA spokesperson told the Post that it will not intervene on the wild card issue.
At Wimbledon, Roger Federer, whose Team8 Management firm represents 15-year-old rising star Coco Gauff, said while he understands the intentions behind the rule are good, he's told the WTA it's time for a change.
"I understand the rule completely that they want the young players not to play too much," Federer told the media following his 6-1, 7-6 (3), 6-2, Wimbledon second-round win over Jay Clarke. "I've told the WTA they should loosen up the rules. I loved seeing Hingis doing what she did at a young age."
The 20-time Grand Slam champion said his business connection to Gauff hasn't influenced his stance, he just believes limiting the number of tournaments teenagers can play puts more pressure on the events they do play.
"This is not me being involved in any shape or form as Team8 through Coco," Federer said. "I try to give her as much advice as I can through Team8. I think it would be nice, you know, if they could play more. I feel like it puts in some ways extra pressure on them every tournament they play."