Coco Gauff cemented her status as one of the top players in the world when she won her first Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open. The 20-year-old has been ranked as high as world No. 2 in singles, being world No. 1 in doubles, and has also won the WTA Finals, adding another major trophy to her cabinet. While she keeps building a career, the youngster made her feelings known about who should be called the “GOAT” in tennis.
“Serena is Serena. She’s the GOAT,” Gauff said of the younger Williams sister right after qualifying for the US Open final in 2023. “I’d hope to do half of what she did. But I’m not gonna compare myself to her,” she added.
“She’s my idol,” Gauff told the press. “The only regret I’ll have for the rest of my life is not being able to play her. There were so many tournaments where if we won an extra round and didn’t lose, I would’ve played her. But I’m still happy to just be a product of her legacy and be out here for American tennis.”
When she won the US Open at 19 years old, Gauff became the first American teenager to win the title since Serena in 1999. While she said that Serena is the GOAT, Gauff has also expressed admiration for Venus, whom she beat in her first Wimbledon match back in 2019.
Serena Williams
“They are the reason I picked up a racquet,” Gauff told UPI after her Wimbledon debut. Serena has supported Coco on several occasions, even attending her Round of 16 match at the 2024 US Open.
see also
Coco Gauff's net worth: How she’s built her wealth through tennis and endorsements
Serena Williams is one of the most famous tennis players
Winner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles and four Olympic gold medals, Williams is the only player to have accomplished the career Golden Slam in singles and doubles. She is also, often credited with her sister Venus, one of the most influential players, bringing a new style of power to the WTA. Meanwhile, she is also part of the highest-paid tennis players of all time.
see also
From legends to eternity: The tennis records that seem impossible to break
On the other hand, Serena is still the most popular female tennis player in the world, with 19% of tennis followers selecting her as her favorite player (YouGov, 2023). However, in the United States, Serena is by far the most popular and the most famous. According to YouGov, she has 91% of fame and 63% of popularity among all adults for the last quarter of 2024.
