From the moment she was 5, Coco Gauff idolized Venus and Serena Williams. Watching Serena dominate the Australian Open, she turned to her father and asked what “GOAT” meant, and pledged to be one upon learning what it stood for. Inspired by the iconic Williams sisters’ rise, her parents adopted Richard Williams’ legendary coaching blueprint, even quitting their jobs to back her dreams. Fast forward to the present, and Serena’s legacy still fuels Gauff’s fire. And amid America’s struggles at this year’s French Open, Gauff delivered a heartfelt and unexpected tribute to Serena. So, what did she say this time that caught everyone’s attention?

The second seed, Coco Gauff, may have been slightly ill-prepared for her 1st-round clash at the 2025 French Open, but that didn’t stop the young American star from making a statement. Arriving at Court Philippe-Chatrier without her rackets, a mishap she only realized while rummaging through her bags, Gauff showed remarkable composure. Despite the rocky start, she powered past Olivia Gadecki with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 victory, advancing to the next round in dominant fashion. 

And as the 2023 US Open champion looked every bit the contender as she began her pursuit of a first Roland Garros title, Gauff also took a moment to acknowledge her roots, paying tribute to Serena Williams.

Speaking at her press conference after a dominant 1st-round win, Coco Gauff reflected on the growing presence of American talent on the WTA Tour. When asked about the increasing number of Americans, 23 in the top 200, Coco shared a heartfelt perspective. “I think it means a lot to all of us. I think we all root for each other, and to have like your compatriots on tour makes it a lot easier. Having people that you can call and go to dinner with, and you know, deal with this life because no one knows how it is except, you know, the players on tour and just to have so many options for friends so many options for practice so many options for doubles like it just nice.”

Gauff also made sure to acknowledge how Serena Williams’ impact on American tennis remains as strong as ever. Serena, as per Gauff, was instrumental in inspiring a new generation of players. “And I guess to be a part of that means a lot and yeah with Serena I think she’s inspired so many to play tennis including me so she definitely has a lot of credit when it comes to just getting rackets into people’s hands and obviously the more rackets you get into people’s hands the more chances you have for people to do great on tour. So yeah, it’s great to be a part of that.” However, while two Grand Slam titles have come to America since Williams’ retirement about two and a half years ago, the American contingent’s showing at this year’s French Open has been far from impressive.

While Gauff made a strong start, the overall performance of Americans at this year’s French Open has been rocky, with two major upsets. The most shocking upset came early when 9th-ranked Emma Navarro was ousted in just 57 minutes by Spain’s Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, falling 6-0, 6-1. On the men’s side, Taylor Fritz, last year’s U.S. Open finalist, also faced a disappointing early exit. Fritz was stunned by 66th-ranked Daniel Altmaier, who defeated him 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, ending his 15-match GS-winning streak against players ranked outside the top 50.

But Serena’s legacy lives on. Gauff is making sure of it, while also taking the time out to acknowledge her idol every chance she gets.

Coco Gauff chooses the top 5 legends, featuring Serena Williams at first

Coco Gauff recently appeared on the Euro Sport Tennis YouTube channel, where she shared her top 5 WTA legends in a brief yet heartfelt video. “I think I’m just going to name people and forget the order. I definitely think Chris Evert is up there. Martina Navratilova for sure, and then Steffi Graf. I feel like I have to put Venus Williams up there and number one for me, this is the only position that is not interchangeable is for sure, Serena Williams,” she said.

As she named her icons, Gauff made it clear that the top spot was never up for debate in her diary. “I think that she’s obviously the greatest and I think that her mindset, her athletic ability, her power, her personality, and like presence that she led in the sport, I think is very inspiring. So, to me, that’s why she’s my favorite,” Coco added.

For Gauff, Serena has always symbolized far more than just titles and records throughout her career. Reflecting on her childhood, she once said, “Serena Williams has always been my idol… and Venus. They are the reason why I wanted to pick up a tennis racket.” The 23-time GS winner’s groundbreaking presence made Coco feel seen in a sport that hadn’t traditionally reflected her image. “Before Serena came along, there was not an icon of the sport that looked like me,” she recalled.

Now, with a strong 1st-round win under her belt, Coco is set to face 18-year-old Czech rising star Tereza Valentova. Riding high on momentum from Madrid and Italy, could Coco be a serious contender for the Roland Garros crown this year?