WTA Berlin: ‘Awkward’ Coco Gauff Holds Back Tears as She Assures Emotional Fan of Fulfilling His Wish

Twenty-year-old Coco Gauff had just crushed her opponent at the WTA Berlin tournament. Ecstatic but composed, she was making her way through the crowd for post-match greetings when a young fan, eyes wide with emotion, blurted out a request. The fan who apparently admins a page dedicated to the American sensation, introduced himself as Maurice and therefore continues to narrate his love for the pro. Gauff’s smile faltered for a moment, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. What followed next was a heartwarming moment that would leave both Gauff and the fan with a memory far more precious than any victory!

“I posted on my fan page for you,” he says, informing Gauff that he makes sure to hit all the updates of her on Instagram. Trying to figure out which fan page was exactly owned by him, the young American asked, “Are you Coco Gauff fans or?” Elaborating on the fact that he never thought he would get a chance to stand beside her, Maurice shed tears and urged Gauff to follow his page on Instagram. “My dream is that you can follow me on my page,” he says.

Reciprocating adorable levels of support and understanding, the WTA star affirmed. “Okay, I’ll make sure it’s your account and I’ll DM you. Okay?…Nice to meet you”. Soon after the fan had happy tears in his eyes, which made Coco say in a soft voice, “Oh, don’t start crying, okay..oh, you are so sweet.” This was followed by a gentle hug between the two. Explaining the emotional essence of the moment, Gauff took to the post’s comment section to justify her awkward looks, if there were any. “def was holding back tears 🥲 sorry if I look awkward,” she wrote.

Let’s talk a bit on court? You all will agree, a year can make a world of difference! Last year at the Berlin Open, a confident Ekaterina Alexandrova dominated a then-15-year-old Coco Gauff, the fifth seed at the time, in straight sets. Gauff even admitted afterwards that the match was a blur. But this year, the tables have turned. Gauff, now the world number two, battled through a nerve-wracking first set, saving three set points, before overpowering Alexandrova in the second to claim victory in Berlin for the second year running.

Well, this is not the first time Gauff has experienced some emotional time with her fans. Earlier, following her crash out of Indian Wells this year, some of Coco Gauff’s younger admirers sent her a heartwarming note. In the semifinal, the American player saved three match points before losing to Maria Sakkari. She went to In-N-Out Burger to cheer herself up, and there, her fans paid for her food and gave her a message. “Coco, thanks for being an amazing role model! You were one heck of a fighter tonight. We sure love you! Love the Rowley family from Utah,” it read.

Later, Gauff continued, sharing her experience with the supporters: “Thank you to the Rowley family for giving me this while at the drive-thru at In-N-Out. And they paid for my meal. Always positives even in the losses. Human connections like this mean a lot especially after tough matches so thank you!” The father of the two small children thanked the seven-time singles title winner on X. The family also talked about their encounter with Gauff on social media. “Thank you @CocoGauff for making these kids dreams come true tonight at the ‘In and Out’ drive-thru,” Steve Rowley wrote.

These incidents not only showed the rarely discovered relationship between stars and fans but also reflected the down-to-earth personality of Gauff. As the fans feel incomplete without a figure to follow, Coco Gauff’s way of treating the situation revealed how players also get much-needed motivation because of such fans.

When a fan in Paris made Coco Gauff get flashbacks of her childhood

There have been several moments when Coco Gauff indulged in discussion with her fans either in person or on social media. Back when she was set to start her run for the Roland Garros title, a video from the house of Tennis Channel made way on social media. In the clip, Gauff can be seen revealing the story behind a bracelet that she was wearing.

“A lil girl gave me this bracelet, uh, I used to make these when I was younger so it tryna give me flashbacks and we kinda traded, I gave her my headband for my bracelet. She didn’t ask for the headband but no point in taking it without giving something,” she explained, mentioning how the exchange of souvenirs between a fan and a star turned out to be adorable.

Coco Gauff is all set to explore the grass courts in Berlin. As she received a heartwarming welcome, it is highly expected she would leave her mark on more and more audiences this time!