Lindsay Davenport: 'Cori Gauff should be allowed to play full schedule'

There are restrictions on female players until their 18th birthday, with the rule introduced following the high-profile struggles of a number of teenage stars.

But Davenport does not believe a catch-all limit is the right way to go.

The former world number one and three-time grand slam singles champion told Press Association Sport: "It's a pity because you can see she looks pretty ready for it, and then you also have another situation with (Naomi) Osaka who's 21 and it's still bothering her, she's feeling some of the effects of all the pressure even though they tried to shield her in her teenage years.

"It's not a perfect science and not every player's the same. I just think if a player's ready, I don't understand how you can hold them back. I'd like to see it open for her to be able to play when and where she wants."

Gauff was given a wild card into qualifying and breezed through three matches before landing her dream draw against Williams, who, along with sister Serena, inspired the teenager to pick up a racket.

Gauff was giving away 24 years of experience but played with a startling composure to clinch victory and set up a second-round clash with Magdalena Rybarikova on Wednesday.

Davenport said: "She impressed everybody – of course it's her game, she's an amazing player, but it was even more than that, it was how she handled herself at the end, all the respect she showed for Venus, how she conducted her interviews, how she maintained her composure when it started to get a little tight in the second set.

"That's the stuff you look for, how they are in their first really big match. You see her and you say, 'That's a superstar'."

Gauff has done nothing to downplay the expectation on her shoulders, saying she wants to be the greatest and set her sights on the Wimbledon trophy.

"You've got to keep her healthy, happy, on the right path, working hard," said Davenport. "She's got to continue to enjoy it. It seems like she has a great relationship with her parents.

"The unbridled joy that everyone got to witness yesterday was pretty spectacular and that's not even mentioning her game – her serve, her physicality, her athleticism. She's going to win majors for sure. Everyone now has to just maybe give her a couple of years."

:: Lindsay Davenport is an ambassador for HSBC, which is a supporter of Wimbledon and the Ticket Resale Scheme. More information can be found at: www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/atoz/ticket_resale_kiosk.html

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