For a while now, South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley has been known to publicly support Coco Gauff’s triumphs in the tennis world, and that was the case when the World No. 4 came back from a set down to overcome Mirra Andreeva 2-6, 7-6, 6-2 in the US Open quarter-final on Wednesday night. Staley regularly uses her platform to praise athletes, and Gauff received some well-deserved recognition from one of the greatest women’s basketball coaches in history.
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“COCO!! @CocoGauff you are HER!!! @usopen” Staley wrote on X.
Staley is a massive tennis fan and was recently spotted at the ongoing US Open, one of the four Grand Slam tournaments. There, Staley was taking in the atmosphere at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, interacting with fans, and was also shown on the jumbotron doing tennis strokes.
But she is also a major advocate for gender equity in the sport, highlighted by her role as the keynote speaker at Tennis Canada’s UNMATCHED: Gender Equity in Sports Conference back in August last year. Staley used this platform to discuss things like mentorship, leadership, and parity in women’s sports. Staley was also the first keynote speaker outside the tennis ecosystem, building on past speakers like Billie Jean King, Maria Sharapova, and Venus Williams.
This is not the first time Staley has been on Gauff’s side during a major ongoing event. Two years ago, during the Paris Olympics, Gauff was chosen as the USA’s flag bearer alongside LeBron James. Staley, who arrived at the opening ceremony as part of the Presidential delegation, put out a tweet that made it clear she won’t think twice about providing suggestions even to the flag bearers of Team USA.
“Hey @CocoGauff @KingJames ! Congrats on being our flag bearers! Btw yall look great? Hold the flag straight…no dipping. 🥰🥰🥰Permanent smile…. you’re not going to be able to anything else but smile because it is the coolest and most unreal feeling ever! Enjoy the moment!” Staley wrote on X.
Staley’s advice to the current generation becomes even more valuable when we realise her accolades with Team USA. Staley made history with the women’s basketball team, securing three gold medals in the Olympics from 1996 to 2004, while also becoming the first basketball player to carry the flag in her final Olympic appearance.
Apart from her liking for Gauff, Staley also appreciated what was happening on the men’s side of things, as USA’s very own Ben Shelton shocked everyone when he beat World No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals of the US Open.
“BEN SHELTON! What a match?!!! @usopen” Staley wrote about the World No. 9 on X on September 9.
Considering the match between Shelton and Alcaraz was the latest-ending in US Open history at 3:33 am local time, Staley was feeling the toll too, as she posted a photo of her dog, Champ, sleeping on a basketball court the morning after the match.
“@ChampStaley (Dawn Staley’s pet dog) said this is what Ben and Carlos and the rest of us look like this morning after that match a few hours ago. @usopen IT WAS MORE THAN WORTH IT!” Staley wrote on X.
Coco Gauff now heads to the semifinals for a fierce contest against Elena Rybakina, while Ben Shelton will face another USA talent in Frances Tiafoe. Safe to say, Staley will be keenly watching the matches as the US Open heads towards the business end of its proceedings.