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Tennis: 15-year-old American 'Coco' Gauff jumps into top 50

American Cori "Coco" Gauff is the first 15-year-old player to rank inside the top 50 of the Women's Tennis Association world rankings since Bulgarian Sesil Karatantcheva in 2005. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI
American Cori "Coco" Gauff is the first 15-year-old player to rank inside the top 50 of the Women's Tennis Association world rankings since Bulgarian Sesil Karatantcheva in 2005. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo

Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Cori "Coco" Gauff became the first 15-year-old tennis player in 15 years to move into the top 50 of the Women's Tennis Association world rankings.

The Delray Beach, Fla., native moved up from No. 51 to No. 49 on Monday. Sofia Kenin, who won the Australian Open last month, moved from No. 7 to No. 5 and remains the top-ranked American player.

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Bulgarian Sesil Karatantcheva was the last 15-year-old to be ranked inside the top 50 of the WTA rankings, in 2005. She climbed to as high as No. 35 that year and played in a Wimbledon quarterfinal before dramatically sliding in the ranks.

The top three players in Monday's WTA rankings remain unchanged: Ashleigh Barty, Simona Halep and Karolina Pliskova. Serena Williams moved from No. 9 to No. 8 and Belinda Bencic dropped from No. 4 to No. 9.

Coco lost to Kenin in three sets in the round of 16 in Melbourne. She advanced to the quarterfinals in the Australian Open doubles tournament before losing in straight sets with partner Catherine McNally.

Coco beat 2019 NCAA Division I singles champion Estela Perez-Somarriba in an exhibition match Feb. 15 during the Delray Beach Open, an ATP men's tournament held in her hometown.

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The teen phenom has never advanced past the round of 16 at a Grand Slam women's singles draw, but will look to do so at the French Open from May 24 through June 7 at Roland-Garros in Paris.

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