“Having this is a reminder of where I want to go.”
That’s what a 15-year-old Coco Gauff said as she pointed to a picture of Serena Williams stuck on her bedroom wall.
Gauff is two wins away from the French Open titleCredit: Getty
Ever since she can remember, Gauff, who faces world no. 1 Iga Swiatek in this year’s French Open semi-final, has idolized the Williams sisters.
It started on the courts at Delray’s Pompey Park in Florida, a middle school Venus and Serena attended in the sixth and seventh grades where they spent countless hours honing their skills.
Throwback to Mike Tyson training Coco Gauff as tennis star trains on bag with boxing icon
It was where Coco practised hers too – not to mention her maternal grandmother, Yvonne Odom, also taught there.
When Gauff was nine, she was cast as the body double for a young Serena in a Delta Airlines commercial shot at a country club in Palm Beach.
In 2019, she announced herself on the world stage by upsetting Venus in a shock result at Wimbledon.Fast forward to 2024 and the world no. 3 has just become the first American woman age 20 or younger to make three consecutive major semi-finals since Serena Williams in 2002.
Williams’ streak of dominance ran from the 2002 French Open to the 2002 US Open. Gauff, meanwhile, has been a semifinalist at the 2023 US Open – which she won – the 2024 Australian Open and now the 2024 French Open.
Serena beat Venus in three straight finals in 2002 (French Open, Wimbledon and US Open).
A teenage Gauff has a picture of Serena on her bedroom wallCredit: X@WhistleSports
She idolizes her but wants to break her Grand Slam recordCredit: X@WhistleSports
It was part of four straight majors for the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion – known as the ‘Serena Slam’ (all four majors in a row but not during one season) – which she achieved across 2002 and 2003.
At 20 years and 83 days, Gauff is also the youngest player to reach three or more consecutive women’s singles semi-finals at Grand Slam events since Maria Sharapova.
The Russian reached four semis between Wimbledon 2006 and Roland Garros 2007.
The 20-year-old Gauff reached her second Roland Garros semi-final after battling back to beat Ons Jabeur in three sets in Tuesday’s quarter-final.
Gauff reached the final in Paris in 2022 but was no match for Swiatek and struggled to hold back tears after the defeat.
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Serena beat big sister Venus in three Grand Slam finals in 2002Credit: Getty
Coco clinched her first Grand Slam title at last year’s US Open.
She will have to wait for her second after her stunning victory in Flushing Meadows, New York in 2023.
But no matter how far she climbs, the Williams comparisons will always be there for a player constantly referred to as ‘The Next Serena’.
To many that comparison would be a heavy burden. The Gauffs themselves, however, have never been shy about the Williams family’s influence on them.
“If it wasn’t for the Williams sisters, Coco would not be a tennis player,” Candi, Coco’s mother, said.
“And if it wasn’t for Richard, my husband would not have studied tennis in that format. He’s patented himself off [Richard Williams] and used their roadmap.”
Serena’s illustrious career has been a guiding light for Gauff for as long as she can remember.
But make no mistake, she hopes to one day eclipse even her idol’s laundry list of achievements in the sport.
“I want to be the best ever,” a 15-year-old Gauff said after showing off the Serena poster in her bedroom.
“I want to be better than Serena, and I want to have that Grand Slam record.”
She faced Polish superstar Swiatek in Thursday’s semi-final on Court Philippe-Chatrier and was beaten 6-2, 6-4 in an emotional contest.
She confronted the chair umpire during the second set and had a tense argument that caused her to fight back tears.
Gauff lost to Swiatek in the 2022 final and has now lost 11 of their 12 meetings.
Their most recent meeting before Paris came in Rome last month.
Coco has now lost to the world no. 1 for three consecutive years at the French Open.
Thankfully, Wimbledon is right around the corner.
