Coco Gauff Says She’s ‘Ready’ for the Headiest Levels of Fame

The very first thing Coco Gauff did after leaving the courtroom in Arthur Ashe Stadium, along with her first Grand Slam trophy in hand, was don a sponsor’s T-shirt proclaiming her as a champion. So it begins.

Gauff has been within the obvious lights of fame since she was a 15-year-old taking part in into the fourth-round at Wimbledon, however after successful the U.S. Open singles title on Saturday, these lights might turn into blinding and the celebrity distracting. Additional endorsement provides will pour in — business shoots, look alternatives, enterprise tasks, funding provides and invites to A-list social occasions will pile up within the close to and long run future.

Gauff has demonstrated a composed maturity in her time within the public eye, and he or she declared herself up for the problem of changing into much more well-known and wealthy, at the same time as she tries to maintain successful necessary tournaments.

“I’m ready,” Gauff mentioned after she beat Aryna Sabalenka, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. “I embrace it. I know how to keep my peace, but also embrace all of this around me.”

The stage of fame that comes with being an American teenager successful the U.S. Open might be spellbinding and daunting for some. Gauff is the primary since Serena Williams gained in 1999 on the age of 17. Young athletes in each sport have been overwhelmed by early success, fame and cash. They could lose focus, social gathering too exhausting, faucet out on the starvation that drove them to their first championship, or grew to become bigheaded.

That doesn’t appear to be a difficulty for Gauff, thus far. After accepting her verify for $3 million, Gauff casually thanked Billie Jean King, who was additionally on the stage, for preventing for equal pay for ladies, a gesture showcasing her perspective, humor and attraction, multi function.

“She is so humble,” mentioned Pere Riba, her coach, after the match. “Her work ethic is so strong, so professional and she has very good manners. Put all of that together and she will only get better. She can handle it all.”

Riba has solely been working with Gauff, alongside Brad Gilbert, since June, proper earlier than Wimbledon. Gauff’s father, Corey Gauff, requested Riba to be his daughter’s coach this summer time on a brief foundation that turned everlasting. Coco Gauff mentioned that her father beneficial hiring Gilbert, too. But Corey Gauff stays a gradual affect and inspiration.

“The most important person for Coco on the team is the dad,” Riba mentioned. “The parents are really, really important for her.”

Late Saturday evening, Corey Gauff emerged into the participant backyard, the place members of the family and pals had gathered, whereas Coco Gauff answered questions at a news convention. They cheered and rushed over to him as he held the coach’s trophy, and he smiled humbly and distributed hugs.

Tennis smart, Gauff nonetheless has room to enhance, a worrisome reality for opponents. She will in all probability add some energy to her spectacular pace sport, and can proceed to shore up her forehand, which she principally cured earlier than the summer time exhausting courtroom circuit started.

“She still has to continue fixing,” Riba mentioned. “There were old habits, and you have to keep cleaning these up every single day, continue working because it was a long time doing it that way. But she corrects really well.”

In the subsequent few days Gauff’s schedule may very well be demanding. She can be requested to look on nationwide tv applications and pose for picture shoots. She can be invited to events. Celebrities will attain out and a few, together with former President Barack Obama, who watched Gauff’s first match at this yr’s U.S. Open in Ashe, and posted his congratulations to her on social media Saturday, will categorical their admiration.

For gamers like Emma Radacanu, who gained her first U.S. Open at 18 two years in the past, claiming a significant trophy at an early age introduced riches and fame however not but constant tennis success. Since then, Radacanu has been ousted earlier than the third spherical within the 5 Grand Slam tournaments she entered after her victorious U.S. Open.

But Gauff, whose profession earnings earlier than Saturday from singles and doubles topped $8 million, was taking part in in her fifth U.S. Open, and other people have been pointing to her for years as the subsequent nice American champion. Success didn’t come right away.

“This is a big achievement,” she mentioned, “But I feel like I’ve been used to this since I was basically 15 years old. In high school, doing online school, just used to it.”

Marion Bartoli, the 2013 Wimbledon champion, mentioned on Sky Sports after the match that within the subsequent few days Gauff’s head can be spinning “like a washing machine,” with all the eye and duties dealing with her. But Riba mentioned Gauff just isn’t solely ready for that.

“Coco is ready for more,” he mentioned.