Coco Gauff reveals she earned her first pay cheque by playing a young version of Serena Williams at the age of 10

Coco Gauff reveals she earned her first pay cheque by playing a young version of Serena Williams at the age of 10

Serena Williams poses with a young Coco Gauff

Former World No. 1 Serena Williams is about to retire from tennis at the end of the 2022 US Open and tributes have been pouring ever since. Doubles World No. 1 Coco Gauff, currently ranked 12th in the singles, also joined in praising the 23-time major winner as she prepares for the one final tournament of her life.

Gauff has numerous times said that she picked up the racket watching Serena and her sister Venus Williams win the big trophies. The teenage star has also declared Serena the undisputed GOAT and has been full of praise for her on multiple occasions as she believes whatever tennis she has, she owes it to getting inspired by Serena.

Also read: “One of the most important athletes in the history of the sport!” Rafael Nadal pays the ultimate tribute to Serena Williams ahead of her farewell tournament at the US Open

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“They needed a stunt double,”: Coco Gauff on enacting Serena Williams

Serena Williams and Coco Gauff
Serena Williams and Coco Gauff

Gauff recently revealed that she had actually acted as a stunt double for Serena in a commercial and in the process also earned her first-ever pay cheque. “They needed a stunt double to play a young version of her, just the neck down. I think it was for a Delta commercial. I stopped by her trailer, and took a picture. She probably doesn’t even know. My mom actually sent me a picture a couple of weeks ago of me waiting, getting my hair done by the people.

“I don’t think they ever used it, but that was the first check I ever got as a kid. She doesn’t know this, but the first money I ever made for myself was because of her doing a commercial. Growing up I never thought that I was different because the No.1 player in the world was somebody who looked like me,” said Gauff in comments reported by DailyMail UK.

While Serena and Coco have never played against each other in an official match, the chances of the two meeting in the upcoming US Open are also slim as they are in different quarters of the draw and unless both of them make it to the second week, Gauff’s desire to play one of her childhood idols will remain unfulfilled.

Also read: Pam Shriver elated to see Serena Williams draw “out of form” Danka Kovinic in the US Open 1st round

Also read: “Nobody can win every week, it’s impossible,” Barbara Schett opines on Iga Swiatek’s chances at the 2022 US Open