In recent years, Coco Gauff has found herself reflecting on the long-term relationships tennis forges. The opponents she faced years ago on the junior circuit are many of the same players she battles now as a top professional. If she and her contemporaries enjoy the long, full careers they are working towards, many of the same faces will be there until the end.
This means that Gauff, at 20 years old, has a long time to work towards reconfiguring her game and changing the direction of match-ups with Iga Swiatek, but it is also hard not to wonder how excruciating these encounters could become over the next 10 years.
