One of the most enduring debates in sports is whether men or women deliver the more compelling competition. In tennis, several mixed-gender matches have attempted to settle the score-but the results remain inconclusive. Coco Gauff, however, has a strong opinion on the matter.
Gauff is the face of American tennis. The Delray Beach, Florida native is currently ranked No. 3 in the WTA rankings, having reached a career-high of No. 2 in June 2024.
She won the US Open in 2023, the WTA Finals in 2024, and most recently claimed the French Open title. Her singles record stands at 267 wins and 112 losses, while her doubles record is 148-66.
In short, Gauff knows her tennis-and her latest comments about the men’s game are stirring up debate among fans and analysts alike.
Gauff throws shade at Alcaraz and Sinner
This year’s Grand Slam tournaments saw four different women take home titles: Gauff in Paris, Madison Keys in Melbourne, Iga Swiatek at Wimbledon, and Aryna Sabalenka in New York. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner dominated the ATP circuit.
Gauff believes this variety makes the WTA more appealing to fans than the men’s tour. “I think it’s great that there are four different champions,” she said during a press conference via Marca TV.
“All the girls have had a very competitive season,” she added. “That makes the sport more exciting-with multiple possibilities and so many things that can happen.”
While she praised Alcaraz and Sinner’s performances, Gauff suggested that the ATP could benefit from more contenders. “It would be good to have a third rival to make it even more interesting. I think it’s better to have several champions at the same time, although I don’t want that to diminish their rivalry.”
Alcaraz and Sinner are great-but predictable?
Gauff acknowledged that the Alcaraz-Sinner rivalry has been good for tennis, but she also finds it a bit too formulaic.
“What they’re doing is very positive and exciting for the sport,” she said. “But in the long run, as a fan, I find it more thrilling to watch a semifinal or quarterfinal without knowing who’s going to win.”
After a grueling season, Gauff and the top seven WTA players are heading to Riyadh for the WTA Finals-ready to prove that unpredictability and fierce competition make women’s tennis the more exciting game.
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