“A lot of times people focus more on your tennis and think that’s your avenue out, but no, you have to be a good person first.” This honest revelation from Candi Gauff defines the way Coco has turned out to be as of late. A confident young tennis star who stays humble despite success. For years now, Gauff’s been a Delray Beach native, in Florida, and when it came to providing much-needed aid to her city, she led the refurbishment of the Pompey Park tennis courts in Delray. That’s where her journey began. Not to mention how she honored her roots with “Coco Delray.” New Balance revealed the signature shoe collection earlier this year. And when you give so much to your city, the city also gives back to you. But in what way?

On Wednesday, Gauff’s grandmother, Yvonne Lee Odom, on behalf of the 21-year-old, received a proclamation from the City of Delray Beach Commission. It’s been given to Gauff, as stated in the official post on Instagram, dated August 20, for “her many accomplishments and advocacy. Her accomplishments include numerous tennis wins and contributions to her community, as well as advocacy on a global stage for social justice and racial equality, inspiring millions worldwide.”

Gauff couldn’t receive this prestigious honor in person as she’s in New York for the US Open. However, she didn’t forget to express her gratitude. Taking to her Instagram, she shared the post from the City of Delray Beach Commission and wrote, “thank you so much to my city for recognizing me 🙏🏾🙏🏾”

But guess what? This isn’t the first time Gauff has been bestowed with such an accomplishment. Back in 2023, after she brought laurels to her city through her historic US Open triumph, the 21-year-old received a huge honor.

The people of Delray Beach showered praises on her while giving her the title of ‘hometown hero.’ She eventually led the city’s holiday parade. It featured more than 70 floats, marching bands, dance teams, and walking groups.

The young tennis sensation was seen in the role of Grand Marshal. Later, the Delray Beach Mayor Shelly Petrolia admired Gauff for her on-court success, saying, “Coco has captured the hearts of tennis enthusiasts worldwide with her remarkable talent, determination, and sportsmanship, and we here at home could not be happier, or prouder.”

Moving forward, Gauff will look to bring the same glory to her city with the upcoming mission at the US Open. However, it won’t be so easy to mirror her feat from two years ago.

Coco Gauff has a tough road ahead at the US Open

This season, Coco Gauff has struggled to maintain consistency on the court. Yes, she’s a French Open queen now, thanks to her historic win over World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka in Paris two months ago. However, that’s been her only big moment this year. In the rest of her campaigns, she’s failed to leave a significant impact.

Following her successful Roland Garros journey, Gauff’s subsequent appearances in other events have been underwhelming. In Berlin, she lost in the first round against China’s Xinyu Wang. Then at Wimbledon, she failed to continue her slam-winning momentum from Paris. Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska stunned Gauff in the first round itself.

If that wasn’t enough, Gauff then lost against a teenage sensation in Montreal. Canadian talent Victoria Mboko ousted her in the fourth round of the Canadian Open earlier this month. Last week in Cincinnati, Italy’s Jasmine Paolini beat her in the quarterfinal.

Not to mention, the American’s also lost a spot in the rankings. Previously, she was No.2, but not anymore. Close rival and six-time slam queen Iga Swiatek recently pushed her to third position. How? Well, the Pole eventually won the Cincinnati Open title earlier this week.

Clearly, the momentum is against Gauff as of now. It will be intriguing to see how she lifts her lost spirits in order to make a strong comeback. But the question remains: will her fans witness it at the US Open in the next two weeks? Only time will tell.