Coco Gauff embraces adulthood but doesn’t feel like she is famous

Gauff doesn’t feel like she has done anything especially praiseworthy saying many in communities around the world do things that she is doing and more.

She says that she always tries to uplift those around her but sees this as a small part of what it means to be human.

“I just don’t feel famous, I feel like a regular person,” Gauff said from Indian Wells.

People approach me and I feel like they think I’m some extraordinary being and I’m not – I’m just a tennis player, and a person who tries to uplift the people around her. So many people in the world do that, not just famous people, also just regular humans in their communities. I don’t think [fame] makes me any different.”

Gauff first gained exposure in tennis as a 15-year-old and now faces the end of her teens in a surreal moment that will take place at Indian Wells.

“It’s crazy to think that I’m not going to be a teenager anymore,” she said. “So much of my career, people have called me the teenaged this, teenaged that.”

“At first, I was scared to grow up,” she admits. “But now I’m embracing adulthood. There’s always going to be change needed in this world. I hope I can play a small part.”

Gauff is among 12 prominent figures honoured in Time Magazine’s Women of the Year edition but says that accolades outside of tennis are not what she craves.

She says that winning the US Open has ignited a fire in her to chase more Grand Slam glory.

“That’s the motivation that drives me,” she says. “I’m sure the ‘Face of Tennis’ and glitz and glam will come along with that. But I don’t really care about any of that. I really just care about how many of those major trophies I can get in my house.”

Gauff was the only athlete among the dozen women honoured by Time and understand what it means for her to be a prominent figure in tennis at this time.

“Being a Black woman, in a sport that isn’t as diverse as others are, it definitely means a lot to me,” Gauff added.