‘When I Leave This World..’ – 18-Year-Old Coco Gauff’s Poignant Reason Behind Staying More Vocal in a Conventional Sport Like Tennis

The American rising star, Coco Gauff, with some of her stellar performances since her debut on the Tour, has stunned a plethora of fans at a very young age. Apart from being vocal on the tennis court, Gauff has always used her platform to raise her voice against social issues.

However, Gauff wasn’t always so vocal from a young age, as she learned it from her father. The 18-year-old tennis star recently revealed how her father’s advice has made her much more vocal after making her name in the tennis world.

Coco Gauff talked about the piece of advice she got from her dad

The American tennis prodigy was featured in an interview in August where she talked about her family and her tennis journey. While opening up about a plethora of things, she also talked about her father’s influence on her tennis journey. Moreover, Coco further revealed that she also had a plan for herself when she will move away from the court. The 18-year-old added that she wants to be known more than as a tennis player.

Gauff stated, “When I leave this world, I don’t want to be remembered as just being good at tennis.” The current world’s no.7 went on to say, “I want to be remembered as a good person and a good advocate.” During the interview, the American tennis player also reminisced about a piece of advice that she got from her dad. Gauff stated that her dad once told her that she can change the world with her racket.

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She regards tennis as “a platform to reach more people.” Additionally, Gauff talked about how she, as a young athlete, learned to be more vocal during her tennis journey. She stated, “Tennis has never been a sport where people spoke out about certain things compared to other sports. I felt like it would be irresponsible of me not to say anything.”

When Gauff delivered a powerful speech on racism

A 16-year-old Gauff previously stunned the crowd when she delivered a powerful speech during the Black Lives Matter protest. After the devastating news of the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Gauff came out to take a stand against racial injustice in her country.

The American tennis star further urged people to unite against such injustices. Gauff further promised to always use her platform to raise awareness about such issues and also fight for change. She recently urged people to use their vote and bring about a change in the country.

The American tennis legends, Chris Evert and Billie Jean King, praised Gauff for her speech. By involving in such activities, Gauff has stayed true to her words and her father’s advice.

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