67
Coco Gauff has talked about how Venus Williams and Serena Williams inspired her. The 20-year-old recently shared an amusing story about how, upon first meeting Serena, he failed to recognize her.
Gauff’s exceptional skills on the court have made her an inspiration and role model to millions of people throughout the world. She reached No. 2 in the world earlier in the season, won a second WTA 1000 championship at the China Open a few weeks ago, and won the US Open last year.
SportsPro ranked Gauff as the most marketable tennis player in the world, surpassing well-known players like Rafael Nadal, Naomi Osaka, and Novak Djokovic, demonstrating the American’s widespread appeal.
But Gauff also serves as an inspiration as a Black player in a
Gauff faced Venus in the opening round of the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at the age of 15. She shocked her idol at the competition Venus won five times and made it to the fourth round, making headlines all across the world.
Serena and Gauff never played. The current world No. 3 stated last year that her greatest regret was not being able to play the 23-time Grand Slam champion before retiring after the 2022 US Open.
It is not surprising that Gauff recalls her first encounter with Serena given her admiration for the Williams sisters. It was hilarious how the winner of this year’s China Open responded to meeting the 42-year-old.
Gauff recalled that Serena was using the same spot to film a commercial in a video with Refinery29.
While I was practicing, Serena was actually filming a commercial. I assumed it was a stunt double of her or something when I saw someone strolling.
It appears that Serena is strolling over here, so I’m thinking, ‘That looks like her. I kind of ignored it until I realized it was her, at which point I became ecstatic. She came over only to talk to me and offer suggestions.
Gauff would not have imagined meeting one of her heroes without knowing who Serena was, but it simply adds to the story’s significance. Gauff will never forget Serena’s counsel and her subsequent kindness toward the younger American.
In the same video, Gauff disclosed that Serena’s impact extended beyond her technical prowess. She also appreciated that, unlike Gauff, the seven-time Wimbledon winner never shied away from flaunting her curls and braids.
“I admire Serena’s appearance, hairstyle, and her unwavering confidence in flaunting her curls and braids. I personally want my hair to be as varied as possible. I adore wearing my curls because they make you feel and look wonderful. It almost improves your performance.
Gauff has a long career ahead of her and, with continued effort and improvement, she might become as legendary a figure as Venus and Serena.