Naomi Osaka’s shock exit and Cori Gauff’s defeat of her idol Venus Williams are the main talking points of the British and international media after Day 1 of The Championships.
'I want to be the greatest': First Venus, then the world for 'Coco' headlines the Sydney Morning Herald about the emergence of the 15-year-old Gauff onto the world stage. “In case anyone thought Gauff was full of hot air on the back of just one win, the great and the good of tennis were ready to back up her predictions,” the Australian paper said, citing another former American teen prodigy. "She has been raised for greatness and this is just the beginning," said Tracy Austin, who won the 1979 US Open at the age of 16.
The Gauff story is the lead of the sports pages of the New York Times. “Gauff, the youngest player in the draw, beat the oldest, her 39-year-old idol, in a changing-of-the-guard match,” it said. The Times pointed out Gauff’s parents, both former athletes, “have worked hard on normalising such moments.” It cited Cori’s mother, Candi Gauff, as saying: “Don’t make things bigger than they are. Pretend you’re at your home park having a match with your hitting partner.”
The Times of India focuses on the early departure of Naomi Osaka, the US Open and Australian Open champion who was beaten by Yulia Putintseva, headlining: “‘Can I Leave?’ At Wimbledon, Naomi Osaka Takes Second Slam ‘Loss’ In A Row.”
The South China Morning Post queries Osaka’s decision to part ways with her coach, Sascha Bajin, shortly after she won the Australian Open and rose to No.1. “Usually athletes and tennis players are extremely superstitious,” it cited former Wimbledon champion John McEnroe, “There’s got to be other reasons [for Osaka’s defeat], I don’t think Naomi’s very comfortable on grass. But just to do that [fire Bajin] at that stage really doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Germany’s biggest newspaper, Bild, takes a critical look at the performances of German players at Wimbledon. “We have had a lot of bitter days in German tennis, but Monday was truly one of a kind,” the paper said. “Seven Germans played at Wimbledon, and seven were thrown out, led by Alexander Zverev, who sensationally lost to qualifier Jiri Vesely.” In the same article, Bild posted a picture of former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who watched Novak Djokovic of Serbia beating Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber “without socks and in a blue suit.”
York Press profiles budding York tennis stars Isabella and Ava Moss, “who dream of being as successful as Serena and Venus Williams – and playing at Wimbledon.” Now aged 10 and 12, and the daughters of two tennis coaches, the British siblings are ranked inside the top 25 for their age groups in the UK, while Ava is the current Yorkshire No.1 for under tens.
ESPN delves into the remarkable consistency of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic when it comes to winning early round matches at the Grand Slam events. “On Monday, the contrast between the Big Three and the wannabes could hardly have been clearer. While No.1 seed Djokovic, chasing a fifth Wimbledon title, cruised past Kohlschreiber in straight sets, No.6 seed Alexander Zverev and No.7 Stefanos Tsitsipas, the two highest-ranked members of the young brigade, fell at the first hurdle.”
