Venus Williams unwittingly sparked her own downfall at this year’s Wimbledon championships.
The tennis legend lost Monday to Coco Gauff, aged 15, in the first round of Wimbledon. Gauff beat Williams 6-4, 6-4 to advance and end her 39-year-old opponent’s bid for a sixth title at the major tournament.
Gauff, the youngest player ever to qualify in for Wimbledon in the Open Era (since 1968), was visibly emotional after her win over Williams.
Perhaps Gauff was so moved because Williams ranks among her idols and inspired her to play tennis in the first place.
“It’s the first time I have ever cried after winning a match,” Gauff said, per The BBC. “I don’t know how to explain how I feel.
“I definitely had to tell myself to stay calm, I had to remind myself that the lines are the same lines, the courts are the same size and after every point, I told myself ‘stay calm’.”
Williams first appeared at Wimbledon in 1997, and the loss to Gauff marks just the second time she has exited in the first round. Nevertheless, Williams was gracious in defeat.
“Venus told me congratulations and keep going, she said good luck and I told her thanks for everything she did,” Gauff said. “I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for her — I told her she was so inspiring and I’ve always wanted to tell her that but I’ve never had the guts to before.
Monday’s upset probably was as good a time as any for Gauff to tell Williams how she feels about her.
