Cori “Coco” Gauff has been firmly rooted at the epicenter of the pro tennis world since her momentous victory over her idol Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 2019.
The teen’s upward trajectory, while occasionally arduous, has finally paid handsome dividends recently, punctuated by her historic grand slam victory at the US Open in September 2023.
Gauff, 19, was handed a $3 million check after she became the first teenager to win a grand slam since her other hero, Serena Williams, accomplished the feat at 17 in 1999. As she advances to Round 16 at the China Open in Bejing, Gauff’s year-to-date earnings have surpassed $6 million, according to Tennis World. This does not include her increasingly lucrative endorsement deals which are the spoils of a major tournament title holder.
World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, whom Gauff vanquished convincingly at the U.S. Open, currently holds the top spot in women’s tennis in 2023 with $7,369,635, the publication notes.
Her stark improvement in her ball striking, service game and forehand — not to mention overall composure amid in-match adversities — has elevated Gauff’s already elite game since her shocking first-round loss at Wimbledon in June 2023. Since then, Gauff has won an impressive 17 out of 18 matches, including the last 11 in a row, The Guardian reports.
Being a defending champ is a double-edged sword as Gauff now gets every opponent’s A-game. This is evidenced by her three-set victory over Croatia’s Petra Martic, 7-5 5-7 7-6 (2), after three hours and one minute. The thriller included Gauff fighting back from match point to snatch victory away from Martic.
“I was just trying to play every ball. She raised her level and she was playing really well,” Gauff said, according to Tennis World.
“I didn’t play my best the whole match, but the tie-breaker was definitely my best (period) of the match. These matches are going to make me tougher for the rest of the tournament and the rest of the season.”
