Cori Gauff makes her mark after defeating Venus Williams at Wimbledon on Monday.
What We Know:
- At just 15, Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff became the youngest woman to win in the first round of ladies’ singles since 1991. Gauff beat her idol, Venus Williams, 39, 6-4, 6-4.
- Going into the US Open at just 15 years old and having to face an idol can be a scary experience, but thats not how Gauff approached the situation. Gauff told NBC, “I have nothing to lose, playing against one the greatest players of all time. I’m just super honored that I get to share the court with her. Not many people get to play Wimbledon at 15 so I’m just happy to be one of them.” She also explained how much the match meant to her personally.
- It is no secret that the Williams sisters were trailblazers of the tennis world. Serena specifically has been dubbed the ‘greatest tennis player of all time,’ on various occasions. Throughout her career, Serena has not only served as representation, but a voice to young aspiring tennis players everywhere. In an interview with BBC Sport, Gauff said Serena Williams is “the reason why I play tennis.” With that being said, it’s obvious that sharing a court with her sister was nothing short of a dream come true.
- After the match was over, Gauff shook hands with Williams and instantly burst into tears. At the tender age of 15, Gauff has not only played Wimbledon and won, but she beat one of her idols in the process. It can be assumed that she was overwhelmed with joy and disbelief after her win. Wimbledon’s Twitter page posted a picture of the two ladies shaking hands and congratulated Gauff on her win. “Made for the big stage @CocoGauff becomes the youngest player since 1991 to win in the first round of the ladies’ singles, beating Venus Williams 6-4, 6-4,” they wrote.
We congratulate Coco on her win and are excited to see what she does next.
