Coco Gauff might be the heartthrob of American tennis today, but the 20-year-old did not start earning from tennis. Gauff currently lost out to Caroline Garcia in the Miami Open Round of 16 clash. Her peak to fame will always remain winning the 2023 US Open. Although she has been playing tennis as an infant, Gauff earned her first paycheck playing a young Serena Williams onscreen.
Coco Gauff played Serena Williams in a commercial. The makers needed a stunt double for Serena Williams, and Gauff was 9 years old when she landed the part. Even though it was a very small part of her life, Gauff was just happy that she got to be part of Serena Williams’ life in some way or another. Williams has been Gauff’s lifelong idol; someone who inspired her to pick up the racquet and be a tennis player.
“I first met Serena – she definitely doesn’t know this – I think I was nine or 10 years old. They needed a stunt double to play a young version of her just the face down,” said Gauff told reporters at the 2022 US Open.
Coco Gauff arranges her thoughts to remember the name of the commercial, before sharing more insights on it. While it may not have been memorable for Williams, it sure was for Gauff.
She continued, “I think it was for a Delta commercial. I don’t think they ever used it but that was, like, my first check I ever got as a kid. She doesn’t know this but the first money I ever made for myself was because of her, doing a commercial.”
Just knowing that her income source started with Serena Williams’ involvement makes Gauff so happy. Serena Williams retired after the 2022 US Open, and Gauff won it the very next year. It was almost as if the 23-time Grand Slam winner was passing the baton. Although Coco Gauff has a long way to go before she reaches anywhere near to Williams, she is certainly making waves in the tennis circuit.
Gauff further shared the connections she has with Serena Williams, which includes her first Instagram post. It was a photo with Serena Williams that she posted. She also believes Serena Williams paved the way for all black women to pursue what was a very difficult dream for African-American women.
Gauff considers her an inspiration and takes a lot of heart from the way Williams always fights back and never gives up. She also had a lot of healthy conversations with her.
Some other similarities Coco Gauff has with with Serena Williams are –
- Coco Gauff trained in the Patrick Mouratoglou Academy in France, run by Mouratoglou, a longtime coach of Serena Williams.
- Gauff became the youngest American to make her Top 25 debut since Serena Williams in June 1998.
- In 2022, Gauff and Jessica Pegula became the first Americans since Serena Williams and Venus Williams (in 2009) to qualify for both the singles and doubles WTA Finals.
- In 2023, Coco Gauff also became the first American teenager since Serena Williams in 1999 to win the US Open.
