Martina Navratilova makes big statement on Coco Gauff after American's US Open win

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Martina Navratilova says there is now a Big Four in women's tennis as in her eyes Coco Gauff has joined the club of Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina. Earlier this year, Sabalenka, Swiatek and Rybakina were declared by some as the women's tennis version of the Big Three.

Navratilova, a former 18-time Grand Slam champion, says Gauff has joined that club following her US Open win.“She will win double-figure majors if she stays fit. We were talking the big three. Now it’s the big four.

It’s Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff. She has no pressure on her now because now she’s won this one, so the expectations have been met. I think the confidence that she’ll get from this, she’s just getting started.

Now she’s got some time to get better. Neither player played their best tennis but Coco played the best tennis when she needed to get back into the match in the second set. In the third set she played smart. She didn’t give Sabalenka anything to hit.

Just see how much it meant to her. You have to trust yourself that you can put it together," Navratilova told Sky Sports.

Navratilova, Johanna Konta praise Gauff

Konta, a former British No 1 who retired from pro tennis after the 2021 season, also praised Gauff.

Reflecting on Gauff's US Open run, Konta said it was impressive how 19-year-old Gauff was reacting in difficult situations throughout the tournament. “It has been incredible just to see the way she has taken such responsibility for her career at such an early age.

She’s accumulated so much experience that it is showing through in her ability now to bounce back the way she was able to, problem solve out there and the way she’s able to consistently compete and consistently perform in the toughest stages. This is an incredibly tough stage to handle and she just did it so magnificently," Konta told Sky Sports.