“Sometimes being a Black woman, you settle for less” – When Coco Gauff opened up about biggest lesson she took from Serena Williams
On August 26, 2022, ahead of the US Open, 18-year-old Coco Gauff paid a heartfelt tribute to Serena Williams, crediting her with teaching her to never settle for less, particularly as a Black woman in tennis. In a press conference, Gauff said, “Sometimes being a woman, a Black woman in the world, you kind of settle for less. I feel like Serena taught me that, from watching her, she never settled for less. I can’t remember a moment in her career or life that she settled for less,” per Business Insider. This lesson, Gauff noted, shaped her approach to media, tennis, and personal growth, as she aimed to emulate Williams’ refusal to accept diminished expectations, per WTA Tennis.
Gauff, who first idolized Williams at age four after watching her 2009 Australian Open win, emphasized the impact of seeing a Black woman dominate a predominantly white sport. “Before Serena came along, there was not really an icon of the sport that looked like me,” she said, adding that Williams’ success made her feel she belonged in tennis, per Yahoo. Their connection deepened when Gauff, at 9 or 10, served as a body double for a young Williams in a Delta Airlines commercial, marking her first paycheck, per The Root. Gauff’s admiration persisted, with Williams becoming a friend and mentor by 2024, as Gauff wrote in a letter to her younger self before the Paris Olympics, per US Magazine.
Williams’ influence extended beyond the court. Gauff highlighted her resilience, noting, “She never puts herself down. I love that she always elevates herself,” per Tennis World USA. This mindset inspired Gauff’s own achievements, including her 2023 US Open and 2025 French Open titles, making her the first American woman to win Roland Garros since Williams in 2015, per Forbes. Gauff’s refusal to accept less echoed Williams’ legacy of breaking barriers, from gender disparities in court scheduling to societal expectations, as Gauff also called out in 2019, per Sportskeeda.
