September 13th 2023.
Coco Gauff achieved a momentous victory over Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday, and received a congratulatory post from tennis legend Venus Williams. According to Today, Williams left a celebratory message for the 19-year-old tennis sensation in the comments of a YouTube interview featuring co-anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb.
"Congrats, Coco <3," Venus wrote.
Gauff was in awe of her accomplishment, and expressed her appreciation in the interview. "It's so crazy, I don't think I've gotten to digest. Even last night, I was telling myself, 'You're a Grand Slam champion.' It doesn't feel real at all. I was just saying, 'Thank you,' and 'I understood all the tough times were just to make that moment even sweeter. I think if it came easy...I wouldn't feel as appreciative as I did in that moment, clearly."
The teen champ has a history with Venus dating back to 2019, when she became the youngest player to qualify for the main draw in Wimbledon after defeating the senior player. Gauff has also been compared to another tennis legend, Serena Williams, since becoming the first teenager to reach the final four.
"Serena. She's Serena. She's the GOAT," Gauff said in an interview with ESPN. "I'd hope to do half of what I'm did. But I'm not going to compare my style to her to her. She's someone that I look up to."
The 19-year-old said she is proud to be part of Serena's legacy. "Being in the same stat line as her means a lot to me."
"She's my idol, and I think they'll regret I'll have for the rest of my life is not being able to play her. There were so many tournaments where if we won and didn't, I would've played her."
At the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing Meadows, New York City, Gauff sealed the victory with a 6-2 score in the final set. She is surely on her way to becoming a tennis great.
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