Teenage prodigy Coco Gauff won her first WTA title on Sunday following a 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 victory over Jelena Ostapenko in the final in Linz that saw her hold her first trophy aloft aged 15.
Gauff, who only entered the field as a lucky loser after failing to qualify, completed a dream week at Linz Open in front of a supportive crowd to become the youngest player to win a WTA event since Czech Nicole Vaidisova, who triumphed in Vancouver and Tashkent two months apart in 2004.
“I'll remember this day for the rest of my life,” the delighted Gauff said after receiving a minutes-long standing ovation from 3,000 spectators. "I had an amazing week and I hope to be back in the future.”
“I'm still overwhelmed, it's shocking and crazy to say I've won my first WTA title,” she added. "This tournament was definitely not even on the calendar for me at the start of the season. I didn't think I'd have a chance to get in - now I'm the champion.”
Gauff will shoot up from 110 in the rankings into the 80s, according to WTA calculations, after becoming the youngest American to earn a WTA trophy since Jennifer Capriati at Toronto in 1991.
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