What’s the difference between a rookie and a legend? Coco Gauff can certainly answer this question in a heartbeat. The moment she faced the former Wimbledon champion, Venus Williams, in her main draw debut back in 2019. When she burst into the tennis circuit, marking her arrival with triumph over the American tennis legend. However, the beginning of this match forever imprints in the mind of the World No.2, as it also features in her most memorable Wimbledon moment till now.
In her post-match interview after claiming her R3 win over Sonay Kartal, Gauff was asked about the memory that sticks out the most from “first time in the main draw.” Most of us would have thought that the winning moment would make the cut for it. However, for the then 15-year-old, about to face her idol. It was the very first few minutes before stepping into the court, which stands out over every other moment.
With a little smile gracing her lips, Gauff reminisced about the most peculiar moment of Court No.1. It started right from the moment she stepped to enter the court. A small 5-minute stretch felt longer to the teenager as she compared it with her walking the same path today. She said, “I think just walking to court 1 against Venus was a long walk… But at that moment it felt like 10-15 mins.” Every minute felt longer than ever as she prepped herself to face the legend. However, the moment didn’t end there as Williams took another 10 mins to show up for the call. “I was waiting for her quite a bit,” she added.
But what would have pressured the youngster was the moment Williams walked in front of the snippets of the champions, which featured her too in both Singles and Doubles. The shine of her decades-long career humbled the young rookie, as she kept her “head down the whole time.”
However, that was almost 5 years ago, after winning against the legend. The then-rookie and a fan has transitioned into a top player, as she begins her journey to leave her mark in tennis history. But as a World No.2 and the US Open champion, Gauff has gained her fair share of fans to support her in her quest for a legendary career.
From bracelets to art, Coco Gauff fans lays it bare in her support
From the highlighted Roland Garros trade with a young fan, to appreciating another for her sketch on X and waiting for her fan to show up at her match. Gauff has had memorable interactions with her supporters wherever possible. But the bracelet interaction certainly takes the cake for the beautiful emotion shared by the 20-year-old and re-living her childhood memory.
Gauff revealed the barter that took place at the Red Clay. She said, “Yeah, a lil girl gave me this bracelet. I used to make these when I was younger, so it’s giving me flashbacks, and we kinda traded—I gave her my headband for the bracelet. She didn’t ask for the headband, but there’s no point in taking it without giving something in return.”
Life has come to a full circle for the young American tennis star, as she gets ready to face Emma Navarro in R4. Would she be able to get past Navarro’s calm form?
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