This article is part of On the Baseline’s 2009 Players to Watch Series. Please join us for a special look at several rising and resurgent stars on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour.
Going up against the number-one player in the world at one of tennis’ biggest stages when you’re a 16-year old rookie can either be a helpful experience or do some damage to your psyche.
It looks like CoCo Vandeweghe chose the former.
Vandeweghe played against Jelena Jankovic at the U.S. Open this past summer in the first round, and by everyone’s accounts, the wild-card recipient made a decent showing in the match before losing.
But she wasn’t done yet at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Vandeweghe went on to capture the girl’s title there without dropping a set, becoming the first U.S. girl’s player to win her home Slam since 1995, when Tara Snyder pulled it off.
Picking up six wins in a row against the future stars of the game and being the one to come out on top usually indicates some measure of success on the pro tour, and Vandeweghe has had her moments so far, particularly making the semis of the San Luis Potosi ITF event in Mexico, having qualified into the main draw.
Qualifying for draws has been a strength of Vandeweghe’s particularly post-Open. The qualies often feature the hungriest of the players who know once they get into the main draw, where the money and the precious points are, anything can happen. Deep runs like in San Luis Potosi haven’t happened yet, but the opportunity to play more matches against other aspiring pros only bodes well for the future.
Vandeweghe’s ranking from the end of 2007 until now has improved by more than 150 spots, and she recently hit a career-high of 393. Not many teenagers are able to make that claim, and this is despite not playing a full-time schedule, as most of her jump was made in the second half of the year.
While she’s still a way’s away from where her first-round opponent at U.S. Open is now, Vandeweghe appears determined to get there. Improved play on the ITF circuit, solid junior results and the possibilities of some main-draw success should spur her on, and therefore make her a Player to Watch in 2009.
Van Sias publishes the blog, Tennis Talk, Anyone?, which takes a look at all aspects of the professional and amateur game.
Thanks, Van, for an excellent article! I saw CoCo compete during the US Open and was impressed with her game.
Hi Aaress, thanks! I saw she lost in the Aussie Open wild-card playoff here, but I still think the perserverance she showed at the end of the year last season will pay off.