Coco Gauff has ‘confidence’ after French Open final

American tennis player Coco Gauff has taken the tennis world by storm, becoming the youngest player to crack the Women’s Tennis Association’s top 100 rankings, and despite her recent loss in the women’s final at the French Open, Gauff is ready to “Change the World.”

The 18-year-old sensation advanced to her first Grand Slam final over the weekend but struggled to find her game against world No. 1 Iga Swiatek, who went on to win her second French Open title in just three years. 

“It meant a lot,” Gauff told Fox News Digital of her first Grand Slam appearance. “There was a lot of pressure when I first came onto the tour and to finally break through to a Grand Slam final felt really great. While I didn’t get the result I wanted, this experience has given me confidence for the next time I am in that position.” 

Gauff won her first single’s title on the tour at just 15. She famously defeated five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams later that year and has continued to make her mark in the majors. 

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Entering Saturday’s final, a victory for Gauff would’ve made her the youngest player to win a Grand Slam since Maria Sharapova in 2004 and just the eighth overall – but none of that seemed to impact the young pro. 

“I was really relaxed and having fun so I didn’t feel the same amount of pressure I had in past tournaments or finals,” she told Fox News Digital. “Staying in the moment and knowing that life is so much greater than winning or losing helped shape my mindset for the two weeks.”

Off the court, Gauff – who celebrated her high school graduation in Paris – recently launched an NFT campaign with Tom Brady’s “Autograph” platform that illustrates her passion for the sport and her “love for anime and superheroes.”

“This collection focuses on the next generation and those of us who are in a way ‘changing the game’ and our categories in real-time,” Gauff said of the collection, which launched on Monday. 

“It was an honor for Autograph to choose me among the other incredible athletes in this campaign.”

Gauff’s collection features three collectibles: “Change the World,” which highlights her success on the tour, “Prepare for Impact” and “Make a Racket.” 

 

Other top athletes, like 2020 PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, have also partnered with Autograph for “The Future is…” campaign.