At 16, the American tennis player Coco Gauff is as much talked about on the courts as outside. Very involved in demonstrations against police violence and racism in the United States, she does not hesitate to take a stand and challenge certain big names in her sport, such as Roger Federer.
This Tuesday, you want to tell us about the young American tennis player Coco Gauff. She is only 16 years old, but she was very involved in the "Black Lives Matter" demonstrations. For you, it's the face of the United States and tennis that you want to see.
If you don't know Coco Gauff very well yet, it won't be long. She has everything big, head and legs. At 16, she has absolute self-confidence. It shows on the court. She has already reached the knockout stages of a Grand Slam tournament twice. The first time was at Wimbledon a year ago. By the way, she had eliminated one of her idols, Venus Williams. So we often compare Coco Gauff to the Williams sisters. She answers tac to tac that these two players there are heroines of their sport, and that she is just getting started. So there is no comparison possible.
And what she doesn't say, but that we read very well between the lines, is that we don't have to compare her to the Williams sisters because she is black. Of course not. She knows how to make herself understood and defend what is close to her heart, Coco Gauff. We have seen her very active in recent days in the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States.
Right after the death of George Floyd she first posted on the networks a clip with this message: "Am I next?". Then she spoke last week at a demonstration in Florida for an improvised, touching and impressive mastery speech. To urge American society to change. All that at 16, she amazed everyone. She really has something special, Coco Gauff.
She takes everything in her path, on and off the courts.
Do you know a lot of them, you tennis players barely landed on the circuit, still teenagers, who teach Roger Federer a lesson? Coco Gauff did it. Quietly. The Swiss had published a black square on social networks to show that he was fighting against racism. Uh, Roger, that won't be enough. This is Coco Gauff's response. Sign petitions, donate, there is a lot to do. Yet Federer is one of his idols. But when she believes in something, when she has decided to fight, she is not afraid of anything. And yes, it is valid on and off the court.
Her trainer, Patrick Mouratoglou, says of her that from the start, when he met her, he felt she was special. And that at 14, she already had the maturity of a 25-year-old player. Since his racket shots have nothing to envy to his rants, I think he is exactly the kind of player that tennis needs to win crowds in the future.
It's been a few years that we have had trouble remembering the names of the players who win a grand slam. One has the impression that they pass without really marking their sport. With Coco Gauff, I am convinced that it will be very different. Former player Chris Evert says she has everything to become a leader, model and activist. I think we can trust him.