GIFTED AND BLACK: Five Things to Know About the 19-Year-Old Tennis Superstar

By Sports Reporter

Coco Gauff took home the 2023 US Open Championship trophy last Saturday, her first-ever Grand-Slam title.

The teen’s 6-2 triumph over finalist Aryna Sabalenka during the annual tennis tournament made her the third youngest American to ever win the title, joining the likes of legendary players Serena Williams and Tracy Austin.

Gauff — who is currently ranked sixth in the women’s world tennis rankings — first rose to fame after beating her idol, Venus Williams, at Wimbledon in 2019, and, later on, four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka. And at just 19 years old, she’s just getting started.

Here, five facts you might not have known about the rising tennis superstar.

Her parents are former athletes.

Coco’s parents Candi and Corey Gauff are both athletes in their own right. Her dad, Corey, played basketball at Georgia State University, while her mom, Candi, was a former gymnast and competed as a hurdler and heptathlete at Florida State University.

She started playing tennis at age 6.

While Coco’s dad originally wanted her to be a basketball player like him, she didn’t like the sport and began playing tennis at 6 years old after seeing Serena Williams win the 2009 Australian Open. By the time she was 7, her family moved from Atlanta to Delray Beach for better training opportunities, where she’s been coached by Patrick Mouratoglou, who is also Williams’s tennis coach.

Coco Gauff

GETTY

Coco isn’t her real name.

Coco Gauff’s real name is actually Cori Gauff. Coco is just a nickname.

 “I believe it was my aunt who said, ‘Oh, we should just call her Coco,’” she said during an interview with Sports Illustrated Kids in 2021.

When my dad was growing up, people used to call him Co and I guess they just said, ‘Oh, Coco’s a cool nickname.’ Ever since then, I’ve been going by Coco. For sure more people used Coco than Cori.”

She’s a millionaire.

At just 19 years old, Coco is already a multi-millionaire. According to her WTA profile, the teen has taken home over $8 million in prize money alone, which doesn’t count her endorsement deals and odd acting jobs (fun fact: she once played Serena Williams’s stunt double in a Delta commercial).

She’s the face of New Balance.

When she was 14 years old, Coco signed her first contract with New Balance in 2018, before inking “a long-term extension” to her deal with the Boston-based athletic brand four years later. Celebrating the multi-year extension, Coco and New Balance released a new colorway of her signature Coco CG1 “All in the Family” sneakers, which she sported while playing at the WTA Finals.

AMAZAYONI LEGENDS HONOURED

INSPIRATION: Their everlasting legacy built under trying circumstances of apartheid is still etched in the minds of many of yesteryear’s football fanatics

By Masoja Cele

Scores of South African football legends formally congregated in Emalahleni to honour Witbank Black Aces Legends who traded their God-given talents during the late 60’s, 70’ and 80’s in a glittering jamboree held at the plush Khayalami Hotel in Witbank.

The glitzy event was the innovator of Don Malinga, Pat Dladla, Thatho Mokoena and Nico Masuku. The objective is to remind the soccer greats that their everlasting legacy that they built under vigorous circumstances of apartheid is still etched in the minds of many of yesteryear’s football fanatics.

Amazayoni legends who graced the occasion included former defender Abel ‘’Roller’’ Mkhabela, Henry Mhlongo, Alfred ‘’Ace ‘’Mkhonza, Russia Masina, William ‘’Danger’’Sibiya, Alfred ‘’Shuffle’’ Tshoele, Harris’’TV4’’Choeu, Eric Maela ( father to Orlando Pirates captain Innocent Maela and Tshepo Masilela former Kaizer Chiefs left back) Veli Hlongwane, Peter ‘’Fish’’Mahlangu, Lazarus Mampane, Meshack ‘’Touch ‘’Mokoebo, Percy ‘’ Mathousand’’Nxumalo, the list is endless.

Regrettably, stalwarts like Cyprian ‘’Mahala’’Maimane, Thomas ‘’Junior’’Ngobe, Jonathan ‘’Ace’’Mdlalose and Quench Mahlangu couldn’t be part of the celebration because of ill-health reasons.

‘’True, it is fitting that we celebrate and honour these ex-soccer greats while they are still alive. They inspired us with their football craft. We felt that our legends particularly those who played prior 1996 are neglected by South African Football Association and other football stakeholders. They are not remembered and they are not mentioned anywhere in SAFA football corridors. Only those who played in 1996 and the Africa Cup of Nations are regarded as legends of this country. How misleading that could be? Football didn’t begin in 96, but long before then’’ explained Don Malinga.

’We pride ourselves about the contributions of Aces legends to the development of football in this country. Remember, these football icons stood the ground against the likes of Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, Moroka Swallows Limited, the now defunct Pimville United Brothers and Pretoria Bantu Callies to mention a few. These former soccer great painted our town blue and white whenever they were in action. Christened AmaZayoni, Aces produced seasoned stalwarts to the South African Black X1 and South African Multiracial Team. Think of the late midfield maestro Moses ’’ Slow’’Masuku, the fiery Thomas ‘’Junior’’Ngobe and the agile Cyprian ‘’Mahala’’ Maimane’’swanked Malinga.

‘’Our ambition is to visit all our legends who are facing ill health challenges. We have the legendary Peter ‘’Fuduwa’’Mokotedi who is now blind in our minds. Then we have to reach the likes of Mdlalose, Maimane, Ngobe and Mahlangu who are all not well ’’ concluded Malinga.

The invitation was extended to other various other legends structures. South African Masters and Legends Football Association-Soweto was represented by great football luminaries that includes former Kaizer Chiefs acrobatic goalkeeper Joseph ‘’Banks’’ Sethlodi, his former teammates Jackie’’Asinamali ‘’Masike, former Chiefs and Orlando Pirates dribbling wizard Johannes ‘’Big Boy’’Kholoane, ex-Moroka Swallows midfield master Andries ‘’Chaka-Chaka’’Mpondo and the former Birds dribbling wizard Joel ‘’Ace’’Mnini and erstwhile Bucs defender Mike Soke, who all were bestowed with glowing tributes throughout for their immensely contribution to the development of football in the country.

While, Ekurhuleni paraded the skills of former Swallows tough defender, Simon ‘’Ox’’Mahlangu, Sello ‘’Page’’ Mahlangu and Isaac Shai (both featured for Witbank Aces and Mamelodi Sundowns and former Amazayoni and Jomo Cosmos midfield instigator Lawrence’’Sister-Monica’’ Siyangaphi and ex-Aces midfielder Adam ‘’Mavula’’Mabena.