Coco Gauff | Biography, Championships, Family, Inspirations, & Facts (2024)

Coco Gauff, (born March 13, 2004, Delray Beach, Florida, U.S.), American professional tennis player who won the U.S. Open women’s title in 2023. At 19, Gauff became only the third American teenager to win the national women’s title. She rose to prominence in the sport by beating Venus Williams, one of her childhood idols, at the Wimbledon Championships when Gauff was just 15 years old.

Childhood and becoming “Coco”

When Cori Dionne Gauff was barely school age she held a tennis racket and told her parents that she wanted to be the best player in the world. Her parents, Corey Gauff and Candi Odom Gauff, had been accomplished collegiate athletes. Father Corey played basketball for Georgia State University. Candi Odom attended Florida State University on a full athletic scholarship, competing in hurdles and heptathlon.

By the time Gauff was seven, she was training with a tennis pro two hours a day, several days a week. Mindful of the precedent Richard Williams had set with his tennis prodigy daughters, Venus and Serena, Corey Gauff suggested that the family move from Atlanta, where he was a vice president of a health care firm and Candi Gauff was a teacher, back to Delray Beach, Florida, home to some of the best tennis training camps in the world. Delray Beach was also Candi and Corey Gauff’s hometown. Candi Gauff homeschooled her daughter, who has two younger brothers, Codey and Cameron.

At age 10, Gauff was learning her sport at a French academy run by a tennis pro who had spent years working with Serena Williams. At 13, Gauff was the youngest U.S. Open junior girls finalist in history; in 2018, at 14, she became one of the youngest winners of the French Open junior girls tournament.

In July 2019 The New York Times published this headline:

Cori Gauff, 15, Seizes Her Moment, Upsetting Venus Williams at Wimbledon

As a teenager and a relative newcomer to the international tennis scene, Gauff was still known by her birth name. But at home she had long been known by another moniker. She talked to Sports Illustrated Kids about her nickname, saying that sharing the same name as her father got confusing within the family: “I believe it was my aunt who said, ‘Oh, we should just call her Coco.’ When my dad was growing up, people used to call him Co.…Ever since then, I’ve been going by Coco.”

Coco Gauff | Biography, Championships, Family, Inspirations, & Facts (2)

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Professional career

The win against Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon was a bit of a surreal moment for both players. Gauff was 15; Williams was 39. Gauff defeated Williams in straight sets in a stunning upset. When the competitors met at the net for the traditional handshake, Gauff tried to make the moment special. “I was just telling her thank you for everything she’s done for the sport,” Gauff said at the time. “She’s been an inspiration for many people. I was just really telling her thank you.”

Despite her age, Gauff demonstrated skills that both set her apart and made her worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as other tennis prodigies, including Tracy Austin, Jennifer Capriati, and Andrea Jaeger. Tennis commentators have remarked on Gauff’s poise under pressure and the sheer power of her physical skills—her serves sometimes travel at 120 miles (193 km) per hour. Yet her professional career has not been without its setbacks. Since defeating Williams in the first round at Wimbledon, she has found herself ousted in the first round at the 2022 Australian Open and at Wimbledon in 2023.

Still, Gauff has shown consistent improvement in her game on the world stage. She competed for her first Grand Slam title in the 2022 French Open finals against Iga Swiatek, who soundly beat her 6–1, 6–3. She has won four tournaments since turning professional in 2018, including the 2023 DC Open in Washington, D.C., followed by a win in the Cincinnati Masters. The summer of 2023 had her playing her best tennis as she entered one of the world’s most prestigious tournaments played in New York City at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.

In the final of the 2023 U.S. Open, Gauff lost the first set to Aryna Sabelenka of Belarus before staging a stunning come-from-behind win that ended with her on her knees and in tears at the Arthur Ashe Stadium. Gauff’s U.S. Open win – her first Grand Slam victory – put her in the company of Tracy Austin, who was 16 when she won the U.S. Open in 1979 and Serena Williams who won the Open at 17 in 1999.

Tracy Grant

As an avid tennis enthusiast with a deep understanding of the sport, I can provide valuable insights into the remarkable journey and achievements of Coco Gauff. Gauff's story is not just about winning titles but also about the dedication, family support, and resilience that characterize her path to success.

First and foremost, let's delve into Gauff's early years. Born on March 13, 2004, in Delray Beach, Florida, to parents Corey Gauff and Candi Odom Gauff, she inherited a passion for athletics. Both of her parents were accomplished collegiate athletes, with her father playing basketball for Georgia State University, and her mother competing in hurdles and heptathlon at Florida State University on a full athletic scholarship.

Gauff's journey to becoming "Coco" began when she expressed her desire to be the best tennis player in the world at a very young age. Her parents, recognizing her talent, supported her aspirations. By the age of seven, she was already training with a tennis professional for two hours a day, several days a week. Inspired by the success of Richard Williams' daughters, Venus and Serena, the Gauff family relocated from Atlanta to Delray Beach, Florida, a hub for top-tier tennis training camps.

Coco Gauff's dedication and talent quickly became evident. By the age of 13, she became the youngest U.S. Open junior girls finalist in history. In 2018, at just 14 years old, she won the French Open junior girls tournament, showcasing her prowess on the international stage. Gauff's breakthrough moment occurred at Wimbledon in 2019 when, at the age of 15, she defeated her childhood idol, Venus Williams, in the first round, making headlines and capturing the tennis world's attention.

Gauff's professional career has been marked by both triumphs and challenges. Her poised performance and powerful skills, including serves reaching speeds of 120 miles per hour, drew comparisons to other tennis prodigies like Tracy Austin, Jennifer Capriati, and Andrea Jaeger. Despite setbacks, such as early exits in the 2022 Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2023, Gauff consistently improved her game on the global stage.

In the 2023 U.S. Open, Gauff's resilience and determination shone through. Facing Aryna Sabelenka in the final, she lost the first set but staged a stunning comeback, ultimately winning the championship. At 19, Gauff became only the third American teenager to win the U.S. Open women's title, joining the ranks of Tracy Austin and Serena Williams.

In summary, Coco Gauff's journey from a determined young talent with a racket in hand to a U.S. Open champion is a testament to her skill, dedication, and ability to overcome challenges. Her story is now etched in the annals of tennis history alongside other iconic players who achieved greatness at a young age.

Coco Gauff | Biography, Championships, Family, Inspirations, & Facts (2024)
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