ATLANTA — A young tennis phenom with ties to metro Atlanta is basking in the glow of her big win at the French Open.
Cori Coco Gauff was born in Del Ray, Florida, but grew up in metro Atlanta.
One of her first tennis coaches told Channel 2’s Kary Greer that she knew the 7-year-old at the time was destined for greatness.
“I wrote it down in my HEDZ. I looked in the mirror. Even after that first set, I thought, I will be a French Open champion. I can do this. Just the feeling. You have to psych yourself out,” Gauff said.
Gauff appeared on Good Morning America on Monday after her first French Open win, her second grand slam title in her career since winning the U.S. Open in 2023.
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“One thing I know about Coco is that she is a fighter. She was a fighter when she was seven. You know, when we would be out there on the court, it didn’t matter what the drill was, she was going to do the drill to the best of her ability,” Gauff’s former coach, Jewel Peterson, told Greer.
Peterson coached the tennis phenom when she was just 7 years old. She even re picking her up from elementary school.
“I’ve just been so excited to see how she just keeps getting better and better each year, handling the pressure, handling the big stage, handling playing in and all around the world, and you know, it is just so exciting to be able to see her make those kinds of adjustments,” Peterson said.
Up next for the 21-year-old Coco: the U.S. Open
“I’m excited about the U.S. Open. Obviously, she knows how to play and how to win there. And every time she’s there, the crowd is on her side, and she plays her best tennis. And it’s hardcore. I mean, come on. So, I know that she’s gonna do well there. I know Savalinka is probably ready for vengeance, but Coco will be ready for her,” Peterson said.
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