The tennis phenom from United States Coco Gauff was training with her legendary compatriot Serena Williams on the practice courts of Fed Cup 2020. They were hitting hard and simultaneously had a merry time on the benches.
Team USA will take on Team Latvia in the Fed Cup 2020 tie on February 7-8, 2020. The tie will take at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington D.C.
Serena Williams and Coco Gauff during Fed Cup 2020 practice sessions
The American squad will be led by their two top-ten players. One of them is their all-time great Serena Williams and the other one is the reigning Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. Alison Riske, Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Coco Gauff are also part of the American Fed Cup team.
“I’ve known [Kenin and Gauff] since they were little girls so it is really exciting to see them blossoming into top players in the country and in the world, and it’s very rewarding,” said U.S. captain Kathy Rinaldi, told the Seattle Times.
“They know that I am there to support them, whether they play Fed Cup or not. Obviously, I want them to play Fed Cup. I am fortunate we have so many great Americans now in the Top 100.”
The former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko will lead the Latvian team. World Number 41 Anasasija Sevastova, Diana Marcinkevica, and Daniela Vismane are her teammates.
Team USA won its last Fed Cup in 2017. Their captain Rinaldi feels they have a bright chance this year to capture another one.
“I would love to win another one, there is no doubt about that,” Rinaldi said. “We’ve got some exciting young players and for them to have that experience to get their feet wet in the Fed Cup — and to maybe bring that title home would be amazing.”
Previously the Team USA has 18 Fed Cup titles. And its the most number of titles ever won by any team in the history of the event. Last year, Team France won the Fed Cup title with Kristina Mlandenovic single-handedly taking out Team Australia in the finals.
Mouratoglou welcomes new coaching rule as ‘step towards modernity’
Serena Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou said it is time for tennis to embrace modernity as he welcomed the new WTA rules that will allow in-play coaching from the stands for a trial period durign 2020.
The trial is set to begin at the Dubai Duty Free Championships and Hungarian Open in February, with the rule remaining in place during the remaining WTA Premier and International tournaments of the 2020. There are at present no plans to extend the trial to include Grand Slams.
Williams was famously penalised during the 2018 US Open final against Naomi Osaka when Mouratoglou was accused of sending her messages from the stand, sparking a chain of events that resulted in Williams being issued with violations over ill-discipline.
Mouratoglou claimed that in-play coaching is something that is already widespread, and applauded the introduction of the new rules to reflect the reality of the game and predicted it would lead to greater fan engagement.
Writing on Twitter, he said: “I am a big advocate for on-court coaching as I believe it is great for the show and will help people behind their TV or computer understand our sport and know players’ personalities better.
” “I love and respect the tennis tradition, but I also want tennis to enter into the era of modernity like most of the other top sports have. Tennis is one of the only sports not to encourage coaching. It is time for modernity.”
“In 2019, the WTA has created the on-court coaching which has been proved a success. Starting in Dubai 2020, the WTA has authorized coaching from the stands (which already happens even if non-authorized). This is a second step towards the recognition of our profession.”
The WTA said in a statement in January: “The new trial will allow coaches to coach their player in the form they are currently coaching from the box without getting penalized. Whether it’s verbal words of encouragement or few words when their player is on the same side of the court to any hand signals, such coaching as it takes place now from the box will be allowed.”
