Coco Gauff
Introduction:
Cori Dionne Gauff, or Coco Gauff, discovered her passion for tennis at a young age. Barely out of school, she told her parents, Corey and Candi Gauff, that she wanted to be the best tennis player in the world. Recognizing her talent, her parents moved from Atlanta back to Delray Beach, Florida, where she began training with tennis professionals at just seven years old. By age 10, Coco was already training at a prestigious French academy run by a tennis professional who had worked with Serena Williams. This marked the beginning of her remarkable tennis journey.
Coco Gauff's Accomplishments:
Coco Gauff has already achieved significant milestones in her young career. She has won seven career singles titles and nine career doubles titles. At just 13, she was frequently hailed as the future GOAT (Greatest of All Time). A year earlier, she won the U12 Junior Orange Bowl, a tournament previously won by renowned professionals such as Jennifer Capriati and Madison Keys. In 2017, Gauff took third place in the USTA Girls' 18 National Clay Court Championship and became history's youngest U.S. Open junior girls' finalist.
In 2018, at 14, she became one of the youngest French Open junior girls' tournament winners. A year later, Coco seized her moment at Wimbledon. At 15, she qualified as a wildcard, becoming one of the youngest players to do so. In her first encounter, Coco faced Venus Williams, her dream first encounter and owner of five Wimbledon trophies. Gauff won in a stunning upset. Her talent continued to grow, and she reached the fourth round of Wimbledon, capturing the world's attention with her skill. In 2020, she won her first WTA singles title at the Linez Open, making her the youngest title holder since 2004. She reached the French Quarterfinals in 2021 and 2022, and in 2023, she continued winning more titles and became a more consistent presence in the tennis world.
Injuries/Mental Health:
Gauff, with her winning titles, has also faced injuries and mental health problems. She had twisted her ankle on many occasions and had even had a right shoulder injury, which led to her absence in a game. Gauff had also suffered from depression because of all the pressure she felt. She was always the youngest person to do things, which caused a lot of expectations and pressure on Gauff at a young age. Gauff stated in a social media post, "It added this pressure that I needed to do well fast." she goes on to say that around 2017/2018, she was struggling to figure out if this was the path she wanted to take and that she could not find herself enjoying the sport. Gauff realized that she needed to focus on herself, not the expectations surrounding her. She stated that she felt friendless because of what she was going through. She was also constantly being compared to the William sisters, which she didn't like because she said it was not fair for the William sisters to be compared to someone who was not as experienced. Gauff also spoke about her being in a dark place on social media in 2023, saying how she has grown a lot and was glad she used her dark mindset to strive to get better.
Conclusion:
Coco Gauff has faced many victories but also encountered many hardships. She continues to strive and learn from her experiences. She inspires young girls today to be passionate about their sport and speaks about mental health to help others with their health. She continues to shine in the sports world, ranking number 2 in tennis, and will continue to flourish as time goes on.
Sources:
Coco Gauff." Biography, A&E Television Networks, 28 Mar. 2023, www.biography.com/athlete/coco-gauff.
Olympics.com
"Coco Gauff." Olympic Channel, International Olympic Committee, www.olympics.com/en/athletes/coco-gauff.
Marca
"Coco Gauff: The American Tennis Player's Rise and Challenges." Marca, 7 Oct. 2023, www.marca.com/en/tennis/2023/10/07/6521483d268e3ec37b8b45e5.html.
Sports Illustrated
"Coco Gauff Says She Was in a Really Dark Place in 2023." Sports Illustrated, 7 Oct. 2023, www.si.com/onsi/serve/news/posts/coco-gauff-says-she-was-in-a-really-dark-place-in-2023#:~:text=In%20the%20leadup%20to%20Wimbledon,to%20a%20better%20mental%20space.&text=Gauff%20said%2C%20%22I%20wish%20a,to%20strive%20to%20get%20better.
Britannica
"Coco Gauff." Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc., 15 Mar. 2024, www.britannica.com/biography/Coco-Gauff.
Tennis.com
"Is 13-Year-Old Coco Gauff the Next Big Thing?" Tennis.com, 18 July 2017, www.tennis.com/baseline/articles/is-13-year-old-coco-gauff-the-next-big-thing.