What would you do with 20 million dollars? For many of us this question is strictly hypothetical and something that we cannot even fathom. However, for 20-year-old tennis phenomena Coco Gauff, this is her reality. Gauff is the first tennis player born after 2004 to complete this milestone. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Gauff picked up a racquet for the first time at the young age of six. Her dedication to the game was inspired by world renowned tennis player, Serena Williams, after watching her win the U.S open on her living room TV. No more than a year later, Gauff’s family relocated to Delray Beach so she could train under Patrick Mouratoglou, who trained Williams.
One of the most significant moments in Gauff’s career took place in Wimbledon 2019. The fact that Gauff got to Wimbledon at the age of only 15 was a feat in itself., When the draw showed Gauff facing Venus Williams (Serena’s older sister), the world turned to watch. Venus Williams is a previous #1 ranked player in both singles and doubles and was 39 years old at the time of the match. Due to Williams previous training and victories, nobody thought that Gauff stood a chance. Williams had been playing professionally longer than Gauff had been alive. However, Gauff saw the chance to make her name known and she did just that. 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.”
After defeating William’s, tennis fans quickly named her the next tennis sensation. And they weren’t wrong to do so. Just three years later Gauff defeated four-time major champion Naomi Osaka. Barely a year later Gauff won her first Grand Slam title at the U.S. open in 2023. Gauff was the youngest to win this Grand Slam since her idol, Serena Williams, won in 1999.This might have been her first major victory, but it definitely was not her last.
In 2024 Gauff advanced to the semifinals at both the Australian Open and French Open. Competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics in France, Gauff even had the opportunity to be teams U.S. ‘s flag bearer alongside Lebron James. Most recently on Saturday November 9th Gauff once again broke a record. Gauff became the youngest player in 20 years to win the WTA finals. After this incredible defeat Gauff admitted that she did not know $4.8 million was up for grabs with this title, and she was simply playing to do what she loves.
So, now that Gauff has earned $20 million in strictly prize money, let’s talk about what she has done off the court. Coco is wellaware that the majority of her 2.5 million followers are young girls, so she strives to use her social media for the better. She puts emphasis on empowering young people and promoting education. Gauff has also spoken out on many different emerging issues such as climate change, racial injustice, and mental health. She was very active on her platforms during the time of the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. Gauff knows the ability that she has to make an impact and takes full advantage of this.
Despite being a college-age student, Gauff has not yet attended college. However, she has spoken many times about the importance of higher education and says that one day she does plan to get a degree, but in her own timet. It is safe to say that in the tennis world Gauff is not going anywhere anytime soon, and will leave a lasting impression on the tennis community.