In a major upset that could signal the dawn of a new star in women's tennis, 15-year-old Cori "Coco" Gauff beat Venus Williams in straight sets during first round play at the 2019 Wimbledon Tournament on Monday. Gauff beat Williams, a four-time Olympic gold medalist and five-time Wimbledon champion, on Court One 6-4, 6-4 in an upset that few saw coming and may be seen as a "passing of the torch" moment in the history of American tennis.
Gauff's victory over Williams makes her the youngest player to win a match at Wimbledon since Jennifer Capriati in 1991. It came at the expense of Williams, 39, who is the oldest player in the women's bracket this year. Gauff previously won the 2018 Junior French Open at Roland Garros. She grew up in Florida, where she won the prestigious 12-under Junior Orange Bowl in 2007.
In another first round upset on Monday, Naomi Osaka of Japan, the number two ranked player in the world, lost her first round match against Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan.