Coco Gauff has been open about her idols ever since her debut. The 19-year-old player idolizes Serena Williams and Venus Williams like no other. Gauff also credited her professional tennis journey to ‘The Sisters.’ Whenever the teenager has been down, she recollects the moving and inspiring journey of the sisters and pushes herself to do better.
Celebrating WTA’s 50th anniversary, ‘Tennis Channel’ is filming a podcast. The episodes are about the players that helped tennis reach the global level. Their recent video featured Serena and Venus Williams and their journey from California to people’s hearts. Legends from not only tennis but also from other sports came together to share valuable insights.
Coco Gauff is devoted to the Williams sisters
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Gauff first played Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon when she was 15. That day, she created history by beating the seven-time Grand Slam winner. Gauff never looked back from then. She also got an opportunity to pair up with Venus Williams for their first round in the 2021 French Open. Though the duo lost the match, they enjoyed every bit of playing together. Gauff’s fan girl moment was fulfilled, but there was more to come.
The young sensation never leaves a chance to admire her idols. On the 5th Chapter of WTA 50th Anniversary, Gauff was among the players who were asked to comment on her idols. She said, “I think having leaders like Venus & Serena Williams in our sport makes you want to do better & makes you want to do better for the world. And I think having leaders like that are important because it made a difference in my life.”
Coco Gauff on Venus & Serena’s impact:
“I think having leaders like Venus & Serena Williams in our sport makes you want to do better & makes you want to do better for the world. And I think having leaders like that are important because it made a difference in my life” pic.twitter.com/NfK7ZNjMxO
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) June 5, 2023
Tennis fans find the trio of Gauff and the Williams sisters inspiring, as they have taken strong stances on equal pay and representation of their heritage.
The unbeatable African-American stars
Williams sisters entered professional tennis when African-Americans when there was a trail for colored sportspeople and not a solid path. The Sisters shook the tennis community with their back-to-back wins. As Leslie Allen of ‘Tennis Channel’ said, “The journey of two sisters from Compton, California, who became known to the world on a first-name basis,” they need no introduction.
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Coco Gauff is no less than the Sisters. The American sensation was also cast as a stunt double for Serena Williams when she was 9-10 years old; those were her first earnings. The impact of the Williams sisters’ is crystal clear at every level of Gauff’s career. The 19-year-old makes sure to let the world know that if not for the legendary multiple Grand Slam winners, she probably wouldn’t have played tennis.
Gauff fans certainly owe a lot to the Williams sisters. Fans and tennis enthusiasts often predict that the young player will be the next Serena Williams.
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