The next big star of women’s tennis

Photo caption: Coco Gauf

Since her arrival in 2018, women’s tennis sensation Coco Gauff has given fans across the world of tennis “sensational plays,” “highlight-worthy moments” and “gracefulness on the tennis court.”

The 19-year-old earned quite the payday in the month of September, defeating Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka to become the US Open champion. The victory saw Gauff take home $3 million, a figure that helped boost her season earnings to $5.5 million and her career earnings to $11.1 million.

Gauff not only made tennis history but became the first African American woman since Sloane Stephens in 2017 to earn a title. Gauff’s $3 million payday impacts both her career trajectory and financial stature.

Although she spent her early years in Atlanta, Georgia, the tennis phenom from Delray Beach, Florida, recently won her first ever Grand Slam title in September 2023.

Known as a Christian athlete, she credits her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for all of her successes.

According to her bio, Gauff said since she was eight years old, she has prayed with her father before every match that she and her opponent would be safe. And after winning the Cincinnati Open in August 2023, she said, “… I’d like to thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I spent a lot of nights alone, crying, trying to figure it out. I still have a lot to figure out, but I thank Him for covering me.”

After winning her first Grand Slam weeks ago, she added, “…I don’t pray for results, I just ask that I get the strength to give it my all and whatever happens, happens. I’m so blessed in this life.”

Growing up, Gauff said her tennis idols were Venus and Serena Williams. She said the Williams’ sisters were the reason she picked up a tennis racquet.

She said in a past interview that she first met Serena Williams when she won the Little Mo national tournament at the age of eight, and later met her again to film a commercial for Delta Air Lines, and at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy in France.

Gauff said after defeating Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 2019, she expressed her utmost respect for her after they shook hands at the net.

“I was just telling her thank you for everything she’s done for the sport,” Gauff said in a past interview. “She’s been an inspiration for many people. I was just really telling her thank you.”

Over her short career, Gauff has won six WTA Tour singles titles, including a major at the 2023 US Open this year, and eight doubles titles, five partnering with Jessica Pegula and three with Caty McNally.

Gauff’s parents, Candi and Corey, were both former NCAA Division I athletes in their respective sports of basketball and track and field. They, along with her coaches, helped her become the No. 1 Junior youth women’s player in the world, after she won the Junior 2018 French Open singles title and the Junior major doubles title at the 2018 US Open.

She made her WTA Tour debut in March 2019 at the Miami Open. She received a wild card into the qualifying draw at 2019 Wimbledon, where she became the youngest player in the tournament’s history to qualify for the main draw, according to her profile and bio.

Her bio says she rose to prominence with a win over former world No. 1 and seven-time major singles champion Venus Williams in the opening round, going on to reach the fourth round, at the age of 15.

Gauff’s profile mentioned she advanced to the third round of the US Open. She won the WTA Tour singles title at the 2019 Linz Open at the age of 15 (and 7 months), making her the youngest singles title-holder on the Tour since 2004.

In 2021, she reached her first major final in women’s doubles at the US Open, and reached her first major singles final at the 2022 French Open.

Currently Gauff is ranked No. 3 in the tennis world, and has accumulated a record of 169 wins and 79 losses in her career. After winning the US Open Title in 2023, Gauff became the third American teenager to win the title in tennis history.