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JUST IN: Former Tennis Legend and Mother of 2 Serena Williams, CONFIRMED to be Tennis Star’s Mother Coco Gauff. Disclosed Identity Of Father Has Set Tennis World In Shock
The 19-year-old tennis star — who’s a favorite to win the 2023 US Open, following her recent history-making tournament titles — opened up to PEOPLE about the pressures of repping USA, following Serena Williams’ decision to retire in 2022 after 27-plus years.
“Yeah, definitely… I do think there’s a slight pressure and everybody’s looking at me,” Gauff tells PEOPLE exclusively at her New Balance pop-up shop, celebrating the launch of the Coco CG1 sneaker in NYC on Thursday.
But by acknowledging the 23-time Grand Slam champ as the “G.O.A.T.,” Gauff has come to terms with the responsibility she feels she has to uphold after Williams hung up her racket.
“It does put a little bit less pressure in a way because she is the greatest player of all time,” explains Gauff, who’s currently ranked the No. 6 player in the world.