From beating her idol Venus Williams at Wimbledon in straight sets as a 15-year-old to becoming the first American teenager to clinch a major title (2023 US Open) since Serena Williams in 1999, Coco Gauff has witnessed extraordinary moments in her career already. Last year, she also became the flagbearer of Team USA at the Paris Olympics. The rise of this young girl from Delray Beach, Florida, has truly been an inspiration, and Coco couldn’t be happier about it. “Tennis and trophies mean a lot to me, but the impact that you leave on people means more,” she once said. And she is indeed leaving an impact. But how does it feel knowing that many little girls now want to be like her?
Coco Gauff perhaps would have never thought about pursuing tennis as a career if the Williams sisters weren’t part of the sport. They were her biggest inspiration, and guess what? Now, Gauff is not only touted as their successor, but she has also taken the onus to inspire youngsters to get into the sport.
In 2020, while sharing her experience with the fans on Behind The Racquet Podcast, she said, “Personally, for me, I like playing for more than myself. I have girls now coming up to me, of all races, but mostly African Americans, saying they are picking up a racquet for the first time because of me. It amazes me since that is how I got into the sport.“
There were times when she recalled how she used to wait for players to sign autographs, take pictures, or share memorabilia. Now, things have changed, and a lot of young kids seek the same from Coco. In a recent fun interaction on Los Gonzalez de Tour, Coco was asked to share her thoughts on being an inspiration to the little girls, and her reply was, “I feel very blessed to have a lot of little girls look up to me. And, I know it’s a huge responsibility, but I try to do my best with it.“
Coco was interacting with the little kids in that clip who asked her several questions including her favorite tournament (US Open), her favorite athlete (Serena Williams), and her favorite movie as well. In reply to the third question, the 21-year-old revealed that she’s a big Marvel fan. Talking about the other things that she wants to accomplish, Gauff said, “I’d love to maybe create my own brand one day, whether that’s in film production or beauty, but preferably something in the production side of things.”
Gauff recently ended her association with Team 8, a management company co-founded by Swiss legend Roger Federer, and began her partnership with WME, an organization that previously represented Serena Williams. She has now also launched her new management firm, Coco Gauff Enterprise.
Further, the kids asked her about the secret behind her beautiful hair as well, and who does her hair every day. In reply to that, Gauff revealed she had done her own hair with the brand she was associated with (Carol’s Daughter).
Gauff signed a deal with the pioneering natural hair care brand, Carol’s Daughter, in April last year. And ever since, she has been spotted in multiple advertisements to redefine the brand’s move to “uplift Black beauty for a powerful new generation.”
Coco Gauff reveals the favorite thing about her hair in a recent advertisement for Carol’s Daughter
While talking about her gorgeous Black hair, Coco Gauff once said, “When I was young, I committed myself to showcasing Black hairstyles when I play, and that’s something that I take pride in.” Fans often see her experimenting with different hairstyles, be it box braids, twists, or natural hair. She feels her hairstyle is a form of self-expression. So, a collaboration with Carol’s Daughter naturally excited her.
“I’m excited to help continue their mission of empowering millions of women and little girls to embrace their curls and coils with pride and authenticity,” she said back in April last year when she joined hands with Carol’s Daughter.
Recently, she appeared in another one of the brand’s advertisements, where she could be heard saying, “What’s my favorite thing about my hair? The versatility. I can beat it, twist it, straighten it, I can serve any look. Every time, after every style. The only way to make my hair spring back stronger. Not just strong, strong like me. Goddess Strong.” What is her favorite hairstyle, though? Well, Coco loves to show braids and wear her curls.
With time, Coco Gauff has not only become an inspiration for her heroics on the court, but her off-court pursuits have also made her a fashion icon among the fans. What are your thoughts on Gauff’s massive influence on the younger generation?
The post “A Huge Responsibility”- Coco Gauff Confides in Young Fan About the Weight of Inspiring Little Girls appeared first on EssentiallySports.
