French Open winner Coco Gauff says Serena Williams is her role model.
Recall that the World No 2 battled from a set down to beat world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4 in the Roland Garros women’s singles final on Saturday, winning her second Grand Slam singles title.
She also became the youngest American woman to win the title since Williams in 2002, and the first American woman to win the title since Williams’ third and final triumph in 2015.
Speaking with NBC, Gauff stated that she would love to follow in the footsteps of Serena.
“It means a lot,” said the 21-year-old.
“She’s the reason I picked up the racket and the sport, and have the belief that I do.
“And for me, to be able to be in any conversation with her, obviously she has her own legacy that will never be touched, but for me just to even have like a 5% of that, means so much to me and dreaming big and watching her compete in real life… I don’t know.
“It’s just crazy to say that 10 years later, I’m here with that trophy after she held it, so it means a lot and to finally put Americans back in that French Open conversation.”
