As an American tennis player herself, Coco Gauff is breaking barriers at the US Open. Taking control of her career arc, the 19-year-old has reached the semi-finals of the tournament – one of her best performances yet. With that, she became the first American teenager to reach the final four at the Flushing Meadows since Serena Williams did in 2001. After following in the footsteps of the 23-time Grand Slam champion, the biggest question that everybody is asking is: Will she be the next Serena?
While the expectations of tennis fans are rising regarding Gauff taking center stage, to follow in Williams’ footsteps, she recently displayed a mature side of herself. Along with that, she also came out with a realistic example to support her somber statement.
Coco Gauff shows off an astonishing side of her personality
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The 7th-ranked tennis player recently broke a record that was created by the 23-time Grand Slam champion, almost 23 years ago. The question prevailing around remains the same: whether Gauff will be the next one to dominate American Women’s tennis just like Williams. Recently, during the post-match press conference, she put on her mature front with a clear example of how she is a privileged kid in this generation.
She said, “At first I used to think negative things, like, why is there so much pressure, why is this so hard, blah, blah, blah. I realize in a way it’s pressure, but it’s not. I mean, there are people struggling to feed their families, people who don’t know where their next meal is going to come from, people who have to pay their bills.” Further, she talked about how she has a lucky life that she enjoys. She highlighted that instead of getting pressured by millions of people and their expectations, she is focusing on living the match. Subsequently, she added, “That’s real pressure, that’s real hardship, that’s real life. I’m in a very privileged position.”
Nevertheless, just a few days ago, she shared her real status on having high expectations before heading into the US Open, just a year after the 41-year-old American tennis legend’s last dance.
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When Gauff got real about carrying high expectations after Serena Williams
After joining the 23-time Grand Slam champion in an elite group of American tennis players who have reached the Top 4 at the US Open, tennis fans around the globe want the teenager, Gauff, to take charge after Williams. But that’s not something that the 19-year-old is explicitly seeking to do.
Just before the US Open, after reaching the quarterfinals of the Canadian Open, the teen sensation talked about how sometimes she feels a lot of pressure to become an inspiration to people of color, especially black people. Along with that, she also highlighted how fans regard her to be the next leader of tennis, even though she is just starting out.
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What do you think about it? Can Gauff be the next WTA star to rule the tennis court? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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