The exit of American tennis icon Serena Williams has taken away the attention of many followers who fell in love with her playing style, celebrations, body shape and smile on and off the court. But thanks to Coco Gauff, another sensational tennis icon has been “born”, writes GOWON AKPODONOR.
When she defeated world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka in three sets, she became the first American teenager to win the U.S. Open since Serena Williams in 1999. Finally, as he walked out of the tennis court, shouts of “Coco, coco” filled the air.
Not many people gave her this chance, but Gauff did it. Victory at the 2023 US Open was Gauff’s first Grand Slam singles title. Prior to that, she had won five WTA Tour singles titles and eight doubles titles – five with Jessica Pegula and three with Katie McNally.
But it was her victory at the US Open that really sparked the acclaim of legions of tennis fans around the world. Coco Guaff, a Christian whose parents have NCAA Division I basketball and track and field collegiate backgrounds, became the world’s No. 1 junior player after winning the 2018 French Open junior singles title. She also won the Junior Grand Slam doubles title at the 2018 U.S. Open.
Her father, Corey Gauff, played basketball at Georgia State University and later worked as a health care executive. Her mother, Candy, was a track athlete at Florida State University and an educator.
The 2023 US Open is the 143rd and the fourth and final Grand Slam tournament of the year. Even before becoming the new champion on September 9, many loyal tennis fans around the world compared Gauff to one of the greatest tennis players of all time – Serena Williams.
There are many reasons to compare Goff to Williams. For one, she shows incredible skill and talent at such a young age. At just 15 years old, she emerged as the youngest player to qualify for Wimbledon in the Open era. She then defeated one of the all-time greats, Venus Williams, in the first round.
Gauff won the U.S. Open on September 9, earning $3 million in prize money, a figure that brought her season earnings to $5.5 million and career earnings to $11.1 million.
Although Gauff’s endorsement income for 2023 has not been released, Forbes reported that she earned $8 million last year. Shortly after she won the U.S. Open, a video emerged on social media showing Gauff dancing at Arthur Ashe Stadium as an excited eight-year-old girl.
Eleven years later, the American teenager stood in the same stadium again – this time, lifting the Grand Slam trophy she had long dreamed of.
Gauff said she gained motivation from negative comments on social media before facing Sabalenka in the Sept. 9 final. She also said she agreed with the protesters who interrupted her semi-final for 50 minutes because they wanted to draw attention to climate change.
Gauff made her WTA Tour debut in March 2019 at the Miami Open. After winning the Cincinnati Open in August 2023, she said: “…I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I spent many nights crying alone, trying to figure it out. I still have a lot to figure out. clear, but I thank him. After winning her first Grand Slam title on September 9, she said: “…I don’t pray for the result, I just ask that I have the strength to achieve it. My Everything and everything that happens happens. “I’ve been so lucky in my life.”
Gauff’s tennis idols are Serena Williams and Venus Williams. “Serena Williams has always been my idol…and Venus. “That’s why I wanted to pick up a tennis racket. ”
Goff first met Serena when she won the Little Mo National Championship at age eight. They later met her while filming a commercial for Delta Air Lines at Mouratoglou Academy.
After beating Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 2019, Gauff paid her respects as the pair shook hands at the net. “I just wanted to tell her thank you for everything she did.”
Gauff burst onto the scene at Wimbledon in 2019 as a 15-year-old, and now she’s living up to her date with the fate many predicted from then on — and with the same charisma she displayed back then .
After Gauff defeated Aryna Sabalenka 2-6 6-3 6-2 in an exhibition match in New York on September 9, he took the microphone and delivered a brilliant and comprehensive speech. Heartfelt speech.
She spilled her dad’s secret, and Corey cried in celebration – “He thought he was strong” – and cast a pall over those who doubted she would live up to the “hype.”
“I want to say ‘thank you’ to those who didn’t believe in me,” she said.
“I try to be classy, but honestly, for people who think you’re adding fuel to the fire, you’re actually adding fuel to the fire.
“I’m burning so bright right now.” Without a note in front of her, she also thanked her parents, grandparents, coaches and spectators and talked about the importance of faith.
Crediting the $3 million prize to Billie Jean King, a pioneering Grand Slam champion who fought for gender equality in the sport, was another cute gesture.
“I feel like it’s a huge accomplishment, but honestly I feel like I’ve been used to being in the public eye since I was 15 and in high school,” she said.
“I’m sure it will probably be bigger now because of this achievement, but I’m ready for it. I embrace it.
“I think the pressure has eased a bit, but I’m still hungry for more.”
Gauff became a leading figure in the sport not only because of her tennis talent but also because of her charming personality.
Simply put, she possesses something you can’t teach or learn: star quality.
She uses her voice—and uses it powerfully. She has also strongly condemned racial injustice and gun crime in the United States in the past.
“She’s well beyond her years,” Jarmere Jenkins, a member of Goff’s new coaching staff, told BBC Sport.
“For a 19-year-old girl, it’s incredible how down-to-earth she is and how well-spoken she is. I love the way she is an advocate.
“19-year-old me? I’m glad I wasn’t in the spotlight. “I didn’t know how to handle it. “
Gauff’s emergence at Wimbledon 2019 captured the world’s attention, prompting many predictions about how many Grand Slam titles she would win – some wilder than others.
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A more prudent analysis is that she will need time to mature on the court and develop her game as she transitions to playing the WTA Tour full-time.
Since then, his progress has been significant and steady, reaching the top 10 in the world over the past 12 months without winning a Grand Slam title.
In last year’s French Open final, after winning just four games against Iga Swiatek, Gauff sat on the court in tears after the game.
“Winning a championship in (Washington) D.C. is huge,” Jenkins said.
“It let her know she could do this, that she belonged here and gave her confidence. From that point on, we were able to capitalize on that momentum.
“Coco has always had a sense of belonging. She has always proven that she is fit to be a big shot.
“The tools are already there. People talk about technology, but sometimes what’s missing is belief.
“In New York, she was able to show up and execute the game plan. She was mentally, spiritually and emotionally strong,” Jenkins said.