Daniela Morales, 11th grade

On September 9, in an intense match against Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff won her first grand slam title at the age of 19 playing three sets: 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. Not only did she win the title of the U.S. Open’s women’s finals, but she also became the youngest American to win a grand slam since Serena Williams in 1999 (Gregory, 2023). The game started with her losing and Sabalenka winning the first set 6-2, after which Gauff asked for a bathroom break before the next set began and took a moment to reset herself mentally.

She went back out and played every point with persistence until her emotional win came, and she & her family hugged in the midst of tears. Her success was possible because of her determination and the active support of her family and team. Her dad, Corey Gauff, is her coach, and her mom, Candi Gauff, homeschooled Coco so that she could dedicate more time to tennis. Coco accepted her trophy and winner’s check of $3 million with happiness while the crowd burst with energy.

In post-game interviews, Coco has revealed, however, that getting to the finals had its mental challenges. Coco has been achieving records since she was very young. At 13, she played the U.S. Open as a junior and got to the finals as the youngest player ever to get there. At 15, she played Wimbledon and got to the first round, in that tournament she started to gain fame as she beat Venus Williams. Last year she played in the final at the Roland Garros, the French Open, against Iga Swiatek and lost in two sets. 

Coco refers to this moment as one of the most important in her career, she says she kept her eyes on Iga while she lifted the trophy, and she told herself, “I’m not going to take my eyes off her because I want to feel what that felt like for her” (Shinn, 2023). Coco has said that she has struggled with believing that she’s a good enough player, as the public eye has been on her since a young age, and she had felt the pressure of winning a Grand Slam at 17, like Serena Williams did. 

Her mentality has improved over time with the help of her loved ones, and this tournament before the finals, she decided to relax and just spend the night over FaceTime with her boyfriend. The morning before the finals, she spent it reading hate comments saying she wasn’t going to win, “and that just put me on fire” Coco said. 

Whether you’re a tennis player or not, what Coco experienced is probably something you can relate to. As a teenager, it is very easy to be pressured by the world around you and feel like you need to accomplish certain goals at a defined time. It is very easy to feel on top of a mountain and then feel really low, like a failure or an impostor. Achieving your goals is just as important as feeling good about yourself when you achieve them. Hard work and perseverance will award you, but you also need to award yourself by treating yourself kindly. Coco is an inspiration to young women working towards their dreams. 

Resources:

Gregory, S. (2023, September 9). Coco Gauff Wins First Grand Slam Title at 2023 U.S. Open. Time. https://time.com/6312450/coco-gauff-win-us-open-2023/

How Coco Gauff Overcame Self-Doubt To Win Her First Grand Slam Singles Title. Team USA. (2023, September 14). https://www.teamusa.com/news/2023/september/14/how-coco-gauff-overcame-self-doubt-to-win-her-first-grand-slam-singles-title