Last year we wrote about ESPN’s cover story on rising tennis star, Coco Gauff. Fast-forward a year later and Gauff is now the youngest American major winner since Serena Williams won her first in 1999 when she was 17!
After somewhat of a shaky first set, Gauff took a bathroom break – recalling that she was “nervous” in a press conference later that day – to throw some water on her face while giving herself a pep talk. The break was much-needed and clearly paid off for the young tennis star. The match would turn in the second set.
Gauff’s resilience and grit, kept her in the match; as she elevated her game after each set. The 19-year-old would seal the victory winning two of the three sets, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus.
After a tremendous game, Gauff fell to the ground, sobbing in joyful tears after securing her momentous win. The crowd cheered her on as she flashed a heart sign to the camera as she embraced her family on the court.
“It’s still crazy. Even last night I was telling myself, ‘You’re a Grand Slam champion,’ and it doesn’t feel real at all,” shared Gauff this morning on NBC’s TODAY show.
