WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart thanks Coco Gauff’s US Open title winning speech on battling online hate comments and using them as fuel

Coco Gauff had openly called out her critics on social media after her US Open win.

WNBA MVP Breanna Stewart thanks Coco Gauff’s US Open title winning speech on battling online hate comments and using them as fuel

Breanna Stewart, Coco Gauff (Images via Maxim, NBC Sports)

New York Liberty superstar Breanna Stewart was named the WNBA MVP on Wednesday and scripted history, just like Coco Gauff who recently won the title at the 2023 US Open. While Gauff stole the limelight with her title run in New York, Stewart became the first New York Liberty player in the nearly 30-year history of the U.S. women’s basketball league to be voted MVP by the national media. 

After achieving this monumental feat, Stewart mentioned Gauff in her acceptance speech. The New York Liberty forward thanked the 19-year-old American who is almost a decade older than her, for inspiring her on how to deal with trolls and using the hate to further fuel her. Stewart mentioned Gauff’s comments which she made after beating Aryna Sabalenka to lift her maiden Grand Slam title. 

YouTube video

“Coco, what you said when you won the US Open stuck with me,” said Stewart. The 29-year-old then talked about how she tries to do what Gauff had said. “I do my best to carry myself with grace and be a great teammate.” 

FS Video

“I want to be an example to [her 2-year-old daughter with her wife, Marta Xargay] Ruby about what it means to approach life with the humility and grit necessary to lead teams, to help others be great, and to win at things that matter the most.”

Also Read: Novak Djokovic explains the reason to keep his tennis racket in his Golf bag for the celebrity All-Stars match at the 2023 Ryder Cup

What had Coco Gauff said about trolls after her US Open win?

After defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the 2023 US Open women’s singles final, Coco Gauff had addressed the hate she faced online. The 19-year-old had said that she was thankful to those who did not believe in her. “I tried my best to carry this with grace and I’ve been doing my best,” Gauff said in her on-court interview at the Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Coco Gauff kisses US Open trophy
Coco Gauff kisses US Open trophy (Image via US Open)

“So honestly, to those who thought [they] were putting water on my fire, you’re really adding gas to it. And now I’m really burning so bright right now.” The 19-year-old had also schooled journalists in one of her post-match press conferences at the US Open saying she keeps track of every post about her.

Coco Gauff had always been bold about what she spoke in public. Despite being just 19, Gauff has inspired many with her rousing speech after the US Open win. While Breanna Stewart is one example, Maria Sakkari was also motivated after listening to Gauff and it resulted in a WTA 1000 title for the Greek in Guadalajara.

In case you missed!