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Newly minted WTA Top-100 doubles duo Coco Gauff and Caty McNally are quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with. After winning the 2018 US Open junior doubles title in dominant fashion, the dynamic teenagers have proven not only they belong on the big stage, but they may actually be the future team to beat.

In addition to their Citi Open title, “Team McCoco” brings a sizzling 10-2 record on the WTA level into their semifinal matchup in Luxembourg with the all-Czech tandem of Kristyna Pliskova and Renata Voracova. Gauff and McNally are very close friends, and their synchronicity on court is palpable.

“Our friendship is great,” Gauff said after their run to the US Open third round. “We have good chemistry, a lot of times I know what Caty is doing without us even communicating.”

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Often seen smiling between points, the Americans play a hyper-aggressive brand of doubles, frequently blasting their much older and more experienced opponents off the court. When in doubt, the Gauff and McNally let it rip; they do not sell themselves short on any shot. This team is the real deal, and Grand Slam championships appear to be on the horizon.

The oddsmakers would agree, as Gauff and McNally are the favorites over Pliskova and Voracova, who have joined forces for the first time since opening the 2018 season together with a first-round defeat in Shenzhen. The top seeds have found much better success this time around, conceding just nine games in four sets played en route to the last four.