A legacy you hope to uphold, Coco Gauff pays tribute to Serena Williams in an exclusive letter

Coco Gauff is set to carry on Serena Williams‘ remarkable legacy as she makes her Olympic debut in Paris this month. The 20-year-old has expressed her excitement about this milestone in a heartfelt open letter to her younger self.

Three years ago, Gauff missed the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for COVID-19 right before she was supposed to leave for Japan. Now, she is eager to fully enjoy her Olympic experience in Paris and hopes to carry forward Williams’ legacy.

While tennis is an individual sport, you relish the relationships with your teammates. You’ve been lucky enough that your on-court relationships have turned into off-court friendships. One of those notable friendships is with your idol, Serena Williams.

Coco Gauff said (H/T: NBC Olympics)

Gauff is known for her enthusiasm to compete for her country, especially in the Billie Jean King Cup. She is also a strong performer in doubles on the WTA Tour. With the tennis competition at the Summer Games starting on Saturday (July 27), she is a strong contender for a medal in both singles and doubles.

Serena was once just a stranger printed on a poster hanging in your room, and now you still can’t believe she’s a friend and mentor. Her profound impact on tennis, what it means to be a champion and to break barriers is a legacy you hope to uphold and carry with you into your first Olympic Games.

Coco Gauff added

The reigning US Open champion is following in Williams’ footsteps. The American legend won four Olympic gold medals, including one in singles and three in doubles with her sister Venus Williams, during her professional career.

Venus and Serena Williams’ Olympic legacies: A gist

USA has been performing well in tennis at the Olympics largely due to the effort of the Williams sisters. Serena Williams has four Olympic gold medals to her name. She won her first medal in women’s doubles with her sister Venus at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The duo repeated their doubles victory at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Serena then won the gold medal in singles at the 2012 London Olympics, along with another doubles gold medal with her sister Venus Williams.

Venus has won five Olympic medals (four gold and one silver) over the years. She won her first gold in women’s singles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She then combined with her sister Serena and won three doubles gold medals (2000, 2008, 2012). The 44-year-old also secured a silver medal in the mixed doubles partnering Rajeev Ram at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Other American tennis players have also contributed to the American’s Olympic medal tally. Notably, Andre Agassi won a gold medal in men’s singles at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics while Lindsay Davenport won gold in women’s singles at the same event.

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