*15-year-old tennis prodigy Cori “Coco” Gauff beat her idol Venus Williams on her Wimbledon debut Monday — becoming the youngest player to win a singles match in the tournament since 1991.
“My dad was jumping up every time I won a point,” she told reporters after her historic win. “I’m so happy they spent all their time on me and my brothers and making sure we’re successful.”
CNN writes, “After Williams hit the net at match point, Coco’s father let out a primal scream as his daughter fell to her haunches in pure surprise at what she just achieved.”
“It was pure joy, he was finally able to let out the emotions in one big scream,” Coco’s mother, Candi Gauff, told CNN Sport, speaking of her husband’s reaction. “It was overwhelming, it was stressful, my nerves were at their highest and I’m just glad she was successful.”
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“At that moment, I saw my child living out her dreams,” 15-year-old Cori “Coco” Gauff’s mother says after she beat Venus Williams at Wimbledon.
“She was grateful and humble at the opportunity to play one of her idols.” https://t.co/sm8EIy7b8h pic.twitter.com/BybiEJhQ25
— CNN (@CNN) July 2, 2019
The teenager, who is coached by her father, has enjoyed spells training with Serena Williams’ coach Patrick Mouratoglou in France.
“It’s a bittersweet moment of course,” Candi told CNN’s New Day after her daughter’s Wimbledon win Monday. “She [Coco] was grateful and humble to have the opportunity to play one of her idols.”
Last year, Coco won the French Open girl’s championship and reached the quarter finals of junior Wimbledon. This year, she became the youngest woman to win a grand slam qualifying match in the French Open. In 2017, 13-year-old Gauff told CNN, “Overall, I want to be the best I can be and be the greatest.”
While her family fully supports her tennis goals they also ensure she stays grounded and humble, and that also includes getting a solid education via home schooling.
“It is becoming a little more challenging but she knows it’s one of the jobs she has to do,” Candi said about her daughter’s schoolwork. “Tennis is secondary, being a student is first.”
Following her defeat over Tennis champ Venus — folks are predicting that Coco could earn more than $1 million by the end of the year.
“It felt like all her dreams were coming true at that one moment, I was ecstatic for her,” Candi said about Coco’s face off with Williams.
“When you enter the tournament the goal is to win it. If you don’t have the title at the forefront then you’re already at a loss,” Candi said. “If you don’t believe then you will never achieve.”
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