This June, tennis phenom Coco Gauff made headlines as she made her mark at Wimbledon. One of the many cultural icons cheering her on as she advanced throughout the tournament was our forever First Lady, Michelle Obama. Today, Obama was able to encourage Gauff in person.
In a message posted to Instagram Obama wrote:
“When we talk about the potential of our young people, we often think about it as some far-off promise, years or decades away. But the truth is they have so much to offer us right now — some thing we all saw a few weeks ago at Wimbledon. Coco is a wonderful young woman who’s showing us that we don’t have to await to see what the next generation can do.”
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In the photo, Obama is holding a tennis racket that bears Gauff’s autograph while Gauff is holding an autographed copy of Obama’s bestseller, “Becoming.” The message on the inside reads, “To Coco – I wish you courage, strength, joy and love on your journey to become more. Warmly, Michelle Obama.”
Gauff, who beat Venus Williams and went all the way to the fourth round in her first Wimbledon appearance, took to Twitter to share what the moment meant to her.
“Today I got to meet my idol Michelle Obama. Her words and wisdom on my journey will stay with me on the court over the course of my career. She is a true inspiration. I have never arrived, I am always becoming! Thank you for your time!”
She followed it up with one word that summarized her reaction: speechless!
SPEECHLESS pic.twitter.com/BHDAFlrecP
advertisement— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) August 1, 2019
This summer Gauff became the youngest player to qualify for the Wimbledon main draw since the Open Era. Even though she didn’t win the tournament, it’s clear that she continues to win off the court.
Thank you forever First Lady for your continued commitment to pouring into the next generation of leaders!