Tennis Star Coco Gauff Looks Up To Serena Williams, But She’s Not Interested In Filling The ‘G.O.A.T’s’ Shoes: ‘I Just Try To Focus On Me & Myself’

Tennis Star Coco Gauff Looks Up To Serena Williams, But She’s Not Interested In Filling The ‘G.O.A.T’s’ Shoes: ‘I Just Try To Focus On Me & Myself’

Coco Gauff admires Serena Williams, but she is adamant about forging her own path.

The No. 6 ranked tennis player in the world, who is favored to win the 2023 US Open after recent history-making tournament victories, revealed in her latest interview that she feels a little pressure representing the USA after Serena Williams‘ decision to retire in 2022.

However, referring to Serena Williams as the “G.O.A.T.,” Coco Gauff has accepted the responsibility she feels she now has to uphold.

Coco Gauff said,

“I don’t think anybody will [take Serena’s mantle] because she’s just one of a kind. But I will try my best to be the best Coco.”

The teenage tennis pro claimed she believes “people are looking for someone else to take that mantle” from  Williams, however, she doesn’t anticipate that ever happening.

The buzz surrounding the Florida native started in 2019 when she beat legendary player Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon at the age of 15. She went on to win the Linz Open, making history as the youngest WTA Tour player to win a singles championship since 2004.

Tennis Star Coco Gauff May Soon Be Trained By Serena & Venus Williams’ Childhood Coach 

Gauff claimed that despite parallels to tennis great Serena, she is “not trying to fulfill those footsteps whatsoever” and is instead concentrating on becoming the best version of herself.

So far, she has won five WTA tournament championships, with three of those victories occurring this season. Gauff also triumphed at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati, where she upset the world No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek in the semifinals. She became the first teen champion at the competition since 1968, marking the biggest title of her career.

Gauff added,

“A lot of people think a lot of things about me and expect a lot of things from me. I think in a way I try to use that as belief in myself, [but] not necessarily an expectation. For the most part, I just try to focus on me and myself and hope that I can just still enjoy it. I think the results will come.”

In other Gauff news, on Monday (Aug. 31.) she defeated Laura Siegemund in a tough first-round match that lasted two hours and 51 minutes. Gauff later described the now-viral match in a post-game interview as “slow.”

As you may already know, Laura Siegemund‘s pace during the competition became a source of irritation for Gauff, her coaches, and the audience. Laura Siegemund reportedly dragged out the points throughout the game and rarely appeared prepared to play when Gauff was set to serve.

Coco Gauff expressed her frustration to the chair umpire after she thought her opponent, Laura Siegemund, was slow to get ready for her serves several times. pic.twitter.com/WjXz4bskkt

— ESPN (@espn) August 29, 2023

What are your thoughts on what Coco Gauff shared? Let us know in the comments!

[VIA, VIA]