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What to expect from Coco Gauff going forward

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Coco Gauff was writing a science exam just five days before her Grand Slam main draw debut at Wimbledon.

Many more tests were awaiting her over the next week.

Gauff would steamroll through qualifying without dropping a set, topping one of her idols - Venus Williams - in the first round, defeating 2017 Wimbledon semifinalist Magdalena Rybarikova in her following match, and then rallying from a set and two match points down against Polona Hercog to book her second-week ticket at the All England Club.

The 15-year-old's run ended in the Round of 16 on Monday against Simona Halep, but there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Gauff.

After all, she's just 15.

Here's what to expect from the teenage sensation going forward.

Resilient performer

Gauff proved throughout her four-round run at Wimbledon that she's able to buckle down when needed.

In her opening-round win against Williams, the Atlanta native was up a set and a break in the second set, but Williams broke her while serving up 4-3. That could've easily marked the turning point of the match, especially with Gauff competing on one of the tournament's main show courts in her first major.

However, the magnitude of the moment didn't shake Gauff's confidence. She immediately responded with a break to go up 5-4 on Williams and found a way to serve out the match in the next game, all after failing to capitalize on three previous match points and facing a break point.

Gauff's resilience stood out to Patrick Mouratoglou immediately when he first practiced with her five years ago. Serena Williams' coach knew there was something special about the young prodigy.

"When they're in trouble, when they're tired, when they're down, when they're losing, they're able to trigger something and have a different reaction because of who they are - their personalities," said Mouratoglou, according to ESPN's D'Arcy Maine. "So I'm looking for those personalities when I chose who I want to work with, and that's what I felt when I met her."

Force to be reckoned with

The Williams sisters inspired Gauff to pick up a racquet, so perhaps it's fitting that elements of their play can be seen in the youngster's approach. Gauff possesses a combination of Venus' long limbs and lateral quickness and Serena's sheer power.

The American phenom's agile movement allows her to chase down short balls at the net and track shots along the baseline. Gauff was involved in four of the six longest rallies at Wimbledon, and she outlasted her opponent during three of those battles.

But Gauff doesn't need to engage in a war of attrition to win. Although she amassed just nine aces during main-draw play, Gauff has the potential to do more damage on that front and accumulate more free points.

She recorded the third-fastest serve at Wimbledon among women at 119 mph and averaged 107.5 and 95 mph on her first and second serve, respectively. Gauff can also end points early with her ability to tee off from the baseline using both her forehand and backhand.

"As far as looking at her game is concerned, she's the complete package," 18-time Grand Slam singles champion Chris Evert told TSN's Mark Masters. "She has everything going for her. So I don't see why not? I think she definitely will win a Grand Slam in the future."

There's no guarantee Gauff will reach the Williams sisters' lofty standards. But with her tools, she'll be a force for years to come.

'Coco-mania' on hold?

Unfortunately, fans may have to wait before getting their next Gauff fix.

Although she'll be ranked within the top 150 after Wimbledon, that likely won't be enough to gain direct entry into the main draw of tournaments in the near future. Gauff will need to rely on wild-card entries in the meantime, and her popularity should garner serious consideration. But it's not certain she'll participate even after being granted a wild card.

To protect them against burnout, the WTA restricts the amount of tournaments a player under the age of 18 can enter. In Gauff's case, she can play in up to 10 professional tournaments until turning 16 in March.

However, her success at the junior level - which includes the 2018 US Open girls' singles and doubles titles - allowed the WTA to grant Gauff a merit-based increase of two tournaments.

Gauff has played in seven tournaments since her 15th birthday and is eligible to appear in five more. The former top-ranked junior will understandably be selective with eight months to go before her tournament count resets, making it possible that "Coco-mania" doesn't resume until next month's US Open.

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