The rising star of the American tennis world, Coco Gauff, has publicly expressed her admiration for Serena Williams on numerous occasions. The tennis pro is adamant about following in the footsteps of American legend Legacy. Considering her admiration for the 23-time Grand Slam champion, it isn’t surprising to know that the 18-year-old once felt horrible after witnessing Williams’ horrific injury at Wimbledon.

The 23-time Grand Slam winner has had a noteworthy influence on the current generation. Coco Gauff, who is 18 years old, is not an exception. Earlier this year before the 2022 US Open where Williams played her last match, the young player praised the 23-time Grand Slam champion for breaking through and becoming a legend in a sport that had only a handful of African-American stars.

Coco Gauff felt emotional after Serena Williams’ sudden withdrawal

A few years back, when Williams was ready to compete in her 20th Wimbledon tournament, she was forced to withdraw from the 2021 Wimbledon in the first round after she rolled her ankle during a serve. Although she tried her best to continue, she was eventually forced to withdraw from the tournament. Coco Gauff, who was watching the action unfold on TV, said, “It was not easy to watch. Actually I turned away, I was in the gym actually stretching.” 

After Serena’s first-round withdrawal, Gauff spoke about the pain of retiring from a match due to injuries, especially when it is a Grand Slam match. She said, “You could tell she was really emotional. Nobody ever wants to retire, but especially at a Grand Slam, a place as special as Wimbledon after waiting two years to come back.”

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Further, the American tennis star wished her idol love and a speedy recovery and hoped to see her back on the court. She said, “The only thing I can do is wish her well wishes and hope she’ll be back in time for the hard court season.”

Despite Gauff’s wishes, Serena couldn’t make a comeback from her injury and took a year-long break from the Tour. She returned at the Eastbourne International this year. Following an underwhelming campaign at Wimbledon, she retired from professional tennis at the recently concluded US Open.

Serena’s favorite Grand Slam – Wimbledon

Over the course of her almost three-decade-long career, the American tennis legend has won 23 Grand Slam titles, including seven Wimbledon trophies. She has also been in the Wimbledon finals four times, each time coming up just short of winning the match.

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Williams’ 22nd major championship came at Wimbledon in 2016. Although she strived for more after that triumph, Serena failed to add to her seven titles. In 2018, despite making her to the Wimbledon finals after welcoming her daughter, the tennis legend lost the competition that year.