Posted on 07/01/2019 1:18:53 PM PDT by Hojczyk
An American 15-year-old has become Wimbledon's newest star after beating her idol Venus Williams in the first round.
In an electrifying match, Cori 'Coco' Gauff, 15, beat the seven-time Grand Slam singles winner, 39, on Court One - less than a week after finishing her exams.
Gauff beat the tennis legend, who had won four of her Grand Slam titles before she was even born, winning 6-4 6-4.
The emotional teen, who is the youngest girl in 50 years to qualify for the tournament, revealed after the match that it was the first time she had cried from winning and that Williams gave her some words of encouragement.
Speaking after the incredible match, Gauff said: 'Honestly I don’t really know how to feel.
'This was definitely the first time I ever cried after winning a match. I don’t even know how to explain how I feel.
'I had to tell myself to stay calm, I’d never played on a court so big. I had to remind myself that the lines are the same size.'
Gauff has modelled her life on the Williams sisters - moving from Atlanta, Georgia, to Florida to further her career.
This isn't the first time she has come face-to-face with her hero - when she was eight, Gauff's father managed to get front-row tickets to the U.S. Open and she even got her autograph.
Earlier this week, she told SportsMail: 'They're great role models for the sport and in general. I'm super excited to play against Venus. I've never practised or hit with either of them.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
As long as she’s a REAL girl, good for her!
Father Time....still undefeated.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.