Teenage sensation Coco Gauff said she didn’t plan to make an anti-gun violence statement following her milestone win at the French Open where she became the third-youngest female Grand Slam finalist since 2000.
The 18-year-old American dropped just four games during her 6-3, 6-1, semi-final win over Italy’s Martina Trevisan on Thursday. Gauff hasn’t dropped a set in the entire tournament en route to the title match in Paris. Making her only the sixth female player from her country to do so in the Open Era. Against Trevisan, she hit a total of 14 winners and heavily benefitted from her opponents unforced error tally of 36.
“I think I played probably the best I could. Today in the moment I think we were both kind of shaky in the first couple games, had a lot of early unforced errors, but after that, it was smooth sailing from there.” Gauff said during her press conference.
In the immediate aftermath of her latest victory, the world No.23 conducted the usual duty of the match winner writing on a camera lens for TV viewers to see. She chose to write the phrase ‘peace, end gun violence.’ A reference to the ongoing debate in America concerning gun control with the country experiencing a series of deadly shootings. One of the latest being the Robb Elementary School shooting that killed 22 people, including 19 children under the age of 11.
“I think for me it was just especially important just being in Europe and being where I know people globally around the world are for sure watching,” she said when asked why she wrote that phrase.
“I think that this is a problem in other parts of the world but especially in America it’s a problem that’s, frankly, been happening over some years but obviously now it’s getting more attention. But for me it’s been an issue for years.”
Gauff’s decision to make such a statement might have been out of the blue but the issue is something she knows all too well after watching her friends being affected by the Parkland shooting in 2018. 17 people were killed by a gunman at Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.
“I really didn’t know what I was going to write even moments walking to the camera, and it just felt right in that moment and to write that,” she explains.
“I woke up this morning and I saw there was another shooting. I think it’s just crazy.’
“I know that it’s (gun violence) getting more attention now. But this has been an issue, at least in my head, for a long time, and I definitely think there needs to be some reform put into place.”
For an athlete at such a young age Gauff is not afraid to speak out. In 2020 she delivered a speech during a Black Lives Matter protest in Delray Beach. She is also one of the few American players to publicly speak out against a Florida bill that prohibits classroom discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity for many young students.
“My team around me knows that if I want to say something, I’m going to say it,” she continued.
“I’m not going to be an athlete forever. There is going to be a time when I retire and all this and I’m still going to be a human. So of course I care about these topics. I think if anything, sports gives you the platform to maybe make that message reach more people.”
Swiatek awaits
Gauff is a win from claiming her first Grand Slam title but standing in her way is the in-form world No.1 Iga Swiatek. Swiatek defeated Daria Kasatkina in straight sets to clinch her 34th consecutive win on the Tour. To put that into perspective, since 2000 only Venus Williams (35), Roger Federer (42) and Novak Djokovic (43) have won more consecutive matches in the sport.
“I think going in I have nothing to lose and she’s definitely the favorite going into the match on paper,” Gauff said of the final.
“Going in, I’m just going to play free and play my best tennis. I think in a Grand Slam final anything can happen.”
The laid back approach to what is arguably the biggest match of her career yet is linked to Gauff’s wider perspective of how winning a Grand Slam title may affect her.
“If I do lift the trophy, honestly, I don’t think my life is going to change really. I know it sounds kind of bad to say that, but the people who love me are still going to love me regardless if I lift the trophy or not. I mean, obviously if I do, I will probably get more attention from the people around the world. But in general, I’m not worried about how my life is going to change, because I really don’t think it’s going to change.” She concludes.
The French Open women’s final will take place on Saturday afternoon.
