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Coco Gauff to receive special honor from U.S. Senate

Gauff will receive recognition following her Grand Slam win at the U.S. Open

Coco Gauff is not done celebrating her amazing Grand Slam victory. The young tennis player will receive an honor from the U.S. Senate, helmed by senators of Georgia and Florida, her home states.


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Gauff at the WTA Finals

“Coco Gauff is an inspiration to millions of young girls and boys across the country with her passion for the sport, faith and victories,” reads the resolution, written by Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.). “Resolved, That the Senate congratulates Coco Gauff for her inspiring victory at this year’s US Open Tennis Championships."

Gauff won the U.S. Open this past September, acquiring her first Grand Slam title. Aside from that, Gauff became the first American teen to win the title since Serena Williams did the same in 1999.

Gauff has spoken about winning the tournament and the crazy reception she’s received, especially from celebrities and notorious people she’s known of most of her life. "The messages are crazy, that you get from celebrities that you watch," she said in a Tennis Channel interview following her win against Ons Jabeur at the WTA Finals in Mexico."The coolest thing that happened to me was Zendaya sent me flowers to my house. It was a huge bouquet of flowers, and my brother and I struggled to life it up on the table. I think it weighed at least 50 pounds. It was so heavy!"

US Open Tennis Championship 2023©GettyImages
Gauff and Billie Jean King following her U.S. Open win

Gauff’s split from her coach Pere Riba

Earlier this week, Gauff addressed her split from her coach Pere Riba, who helped her win the U.S. Open. "It was not my decision. We were great together and I wish him the best in the future. I would have loved for him to be here, but that's the way things are,” said Gauff. “Pere is a great guy who helped me both on a personal and tennis level. I'm sure he will be successful whoever he is with.”

In the case of Riba, he seems sure of Gauff’s future and appears to hold no animosity towards her. “I am very happy with the work we have done together, because all the objectives were met, and I am convinced that next year Gauff will be number one,” he said in a statement to Marca.

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