Coco Gauff says Serena Williams and Venus Williams “are the reason” why she now has a US Open title in her pocket. Gauff, 19, defeated Aryna Sabalenka 2-6 6-3 6-2 in the US Open final to lift her first Slam. After the biggest day of her tennis career, Gauff paid special tribute to the Williams sisters, who inspired her career and made her believe she could one day be a successful tennis player. “Yes, it’s crazy. I mean, they’re the reason why I have this trophy today, to be honest. They have allowed me to believe in this dream, you know, growing up. You know, there wasn’t too many just Black tennis players dominating the sport. It was literally, at that time when I was younger, it was just them that I can remember. Obviously, more came because of their legacy. So it made the dream more believable. But all the things that they had to go through, they made it easier for someone like me to do this. I mean, you look back at the history with Indian Wells, with Serena, all she had to go through, Venus fighting for equal pay. Yeah, it’s just, like, it’s crazy and it’s an honor to be in that kind of lineup as them. And I’m looking at it, and she’s won this a lot of times. (laughter),” Gauff said.
Coco Gauff and Venus Williams© Getty Images Sport – Clive Brunskill
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Like Serena Williams, Gauff wins her first Grand Slam at the US Open
In 1999, a 17-year-old Serena Williams lifted her first Grand Slam title at the US Open. Gauff, who grew up idolizing Williams, did the same 24 years later. When the 2023 season started, Gauff highlighted becoming a Grand Slam champion this year was a big goal of hers. In the final Grand Slam tournament of the season – in front of her home fans at Flushing Meadows – Gauff accomplished her biggest goal. Also, Gauff is now ranked at No 3 in the world and she has replaced Jessica Pegula as the highest-ranked American female tennis player.