Coco Gauff pays an ode to all the ‘black champions’ who inspired her to become one of the best tennis players in the world

Coco Gauff lays her respects and credits to the likes of Serena Williams and Sloane Stephens after her famous US Open win

Coco Gauff pays an ode to all the ‘black champions’ who inspired her to become one of the best tennis players in the world

Coco Gauff, Sloane Stephens, Serena Williams. (credits: Twitter, The Guardian, NPR)

After laying her hands on the famous US Open trophy, 19-year-old Coco Gauff has not forgotten to be thankful to the people who helped her achieve her feat. As soon as she picked up her final point against Aryna Sabalenka, she ran down to her parents to share the famous moment with her family members. Apart from this, she also considers herself absolutely lucky and honored to be in the same sentence as the likes of famous American stars who have won this trophy in the past. 

Gauff said, “It’s an honor to be in that state with Althea Gibson, Serena, Venus, Naomi, and Sloane. They paved the way for me to be here.” She also shared how these stars helped her achieve her dream and continue to walk in their path. The young prodigy revisited the moment when another American youngster, Sloane Stephens, lifted the title six years ago and wants other teenagers to gain motivation from these incidents and work their way up to the dream in the future.

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She added, “I remember Sloane winning this trophy in 2017. I had lost in the final of junior US Open. It was an inspiring moment for me to see her win bc I grew up watching her & I’ve known Sloane since I was 10. Obviously, Serena & Venus, words can’t describe what they’ve meant to me. I hope I’m continuing a legacy. I hope another girl can see this & believe they can do it. Hopefully, their name can be on this trophy too.”

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Also Read: Maria Sharapova breaks the hearts of fans by admitting to not missing the sport as she attends the opening day of the US Open 2023

Coco Gauff: The ‘Serena Williams’ of this generation?

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Serena Williams and Coco Gauff during a training session. (credits: News18)

Coco Gauff went on to become the youngest American to lay her hands on the US Open trophy since Serena Williams, who won the title way back in 1999. It was a night of glitter and celebration from all the United States people as their very young star won the trophy that had been away from the grasp of an American since 2017 when Sloane Stephens won it.

Although it would be quite early to compare Gauff with Serena Williams, the Americans have already taken young Gauff to heart and are putting their trust in the 19-year-old after her brilliance in recent times. Many regard her as the next torchbearer of the American tennis world after Serena Williams, who also achieved this feat as an 18-year-old and went on to pave a milestone in the history of the sport.

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