Cori Gauff, commonly known as Coco, won her maiden Grand Slam in the 2023 US Open after defeating her opponent, Aryna Sabalenka.

The 19-year-old is the youngest American player to reach the final match since Serena Williams, who was 17 when she competed in 1999.

Coco defeated Karolina Muchová in straight sets to reach her first US Open final on September 7, 2023. Following her historic victory, she spoke on “ESPN” and discussed the match as well as the climate change protest that took place there.

The Florida native was also questioned about whether she is the sole tennis player carrying the torch for American women’s tennis once Williams, the 23-time Grand Slam winner, retires at the same tournament in 2022.

Coco expressed her gratitude for sharing the same stat line as the former tennis great. However, the sports star noted that she is not leading the national tennis team since she and her teammates are performing well as a group, adding:

“This is Serena. She is God. I’d like to accomplish half of what she achieved. But I’m not going to judge myself against her. ” She is someone I look up to.”

Coco also expressed sorrow that she had never played against her “idol,” the former World No. 1, adding, “But I’m still happy to just be a product of her legacy and be out here.”

Coco is following in the footsteps of Williams, despite the fact that she will never compete against her. On September 9, 2023, the kid won her maiden Grand Slam against Aryna Sabalenka at the US Open.

Her father, Corey Gauff, taught Coco and worked with her until Wimbledon was over. Brad Gilbert, a former tennis player turned coach, was employed there.

Following her triumph, the adolescent dashed into the Flushing Meadows stands, where she was seen hugging her father, Corey, and mother, Candi Gauff, among others.

As the three were overcome with emotion, Corey was sobbing while cuddling his daughter immediately before her mother, Candi, joined them in an embrace. “Hugs all around for the Gauff family!” said the caption under the US Open tennis on Twitter.

Following the moving moment between Coco and her parents, she paid tribute to them with a speech in which she thanked them for their unwavering support throughout her journey:

“First and foremost, thank you to my parents. It was the first time I’d ever seen my father weep. He doesn’t want me to tell you, but he was captured in 4K. He thinks he’s so tough. Thank you very much. You have always believed in me.”

Coco, then 16, spoke openly about her experience dealing with early success in an April 2020 interview, revealing she battled emotionally as enormous expectations left her feeling out of place.

The Grand Slam champion revealed that she had always been the youngest person to achieve anything in life, which came with unwelcome pressure. It made her feel as though she had to succeed quickly.

However, after she learned to tune out the surrounding noise and let go of her thoughts, she began to experience the desired outcomes. Nonetheless, Coco battled until just before Wimbledon in 2019.

She reached the fourth round of her maiden Grand Slam singles match at the age of 15 and was recognized for her achievement. Coco was undecided about continuing her tennis career between 2017 and 2018.

It wasn’t about the outcome, since that was never an issue for her. But it was because she wasn’t having fun with the sport she adored. She suddenly understood she needed to play for herself, not for others. Coco disclosed:

“I was depressed for about a year.” That was my most difficult year to date.”

Meanwhile, her mother revealed that she saw her going through the motions with scarcely any emotion. Candi had a talk with her daughter after the game, telling her that if she was uncomfortable, she could quit playing, but she had to try.