Coco Gauff grew to become the primary American teenager since Serena Williams to succeed in a US Open ultimate and the timing of her house breakthrough couldn’t have been scripted higher.
Williams’ diamond-encrusted and star-studded departure from tennis at Flushing Meadows final 12 months showcased the impression she has had on the game over 25 years.
But it additionally left an enormous gap, specific for tennis within the US, the place a dearth of male success over the identical interval has seen its profile wane.
Now 12 months later, right here is Gauff, taking on the baton in seamless trend and poised to turn into one of many world’s largest sporting stars.
The Williams household has performed an enormous position within the story of Gauff’s first 19 years. She grew up idolising the sisters, whereas her first pay verify got here from taking part in a younger Serena in an advert.
Speaking about Serena’s affect on her in New York final 12 months, Gauff mentioned: “Growing up, I never thought that I was different because the number one player in the world was somebody who looked like me.
“I love that she always elevates herself. Sometimes being a woman, a black woman in the world, you kind of settle for less. I can’t remember a moment in her career or life that she settled for less.”
It was Venus fairly than Serena, although, who was central to Gauff bursting by on the worldwide stage, aged solely 15.
A childhood prodigy who gained the US nationwide under-12 title aged 10 and a grand slam junior crown at solely 14, she certified for the ladies’s singles at Wimbledon in 2019 and defeated Venus within the first spherical.
Wowing together with her serve, backhand, athleticism and a maturity method past her years, Gauff rode a wave of assist by to the fourth spherical.
The discuss was already of when {the teenager} would win a grand slam and he or she has needed to deal with big expectations from that second on, however – whereas she is not going to flip 20 till subsequent March – the final 4 years have seen her achieve a wonderful grounding within the sport.
Gauff has overcome moments of doubt, together with a first-round loss at Wimbledon this summer time, to take care of a steadily-upward trajectory, reaching her first senior grand slam ultimate on the French Open final summer time.
What makes Gauff, who has already been ranked world primary in doubles, such an enormous asset for tennis isn’t just her performances and potential on court docket however the individual she is away from it.
A giant fan of TikTok and superheroes, Gauff could be very a lot a twenty first century American teenager, but she additionally makes use of her platform to advocate for causes she believes in, talking at a Black Lives Matter rally in her house city of Delray Beach when she was solely 16.
She is an excellent talker on a spread of topics, saying earlier this week about dealing with the highlight: “At first I used to think negative things, like, ‘Why is there so much pressure, why is this so hard’?
“I realise in a way it’s pressure but it’s not. 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.
“That’s real pressure, that’s real hardship, that’s real life. I’m getting paid to do what I love and getting support to do what I love. That’s something that I don’t take for granted.”
Born in Atlanta to folks Candi and Corey – Gauff’s given title is Cori however she is universally often known as Coco – who have been gifted in athletics and basketball, respectively, the household moved to again to Candi and Corey’s house city of Delray Beach in Florida when their daughter was seven to reinforce her coaching alternatives.
Gauff’s mother and father subsequently gave up their careers to educate her, though they’ve been comfortable to herald outdoors assist, with Gauff attending the academy of Serena Williams’ former coach Patrick Mouratoglou and presently working with the hugely-experienced Brad Gilbert.
There are areas of her sport that Gauff can enhance, notably a forehand that opponents now routinely goal, however there have been no actual mis-steps up to now on the street to superstardom.
