Sep 11 2023
Story #1 FINAL DRAFT – Coco Gauff
19-year-old Coco Gauff won the 2023 U.S. Open, beating out Aryna Sabalenka, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2. Gauff has seen professional success in major tournaments since she was 15, but nothing like how she played this weekend.
Time Magazine highlights Coco’s initial stardom and how she first emerged onto the tennis scene:
“Ever since Gauff burst onto the sports scene at Wimbledon four years ago, she’s struggled with expectations thrust upon her. When she was just 15 that summer of 2019, Gauff defeated her idol, Venus Williams, and became the youngest woman to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon since Jennifer Capriati in 1991.”
The Time’s article goes on to highlight the imposter syndrome that Gauff has felt since then. She talks about struggling with the pressure to win a major after her initial run at Wimbledon, especially at 15 years old. She mentions that the journey to winning a major tournament was longer than she had expected, but that the strenuous path has helped her deal with the pressure of everything.
Even in the tournament’s final round, Gauff was reading online comments that said she would never make it further than she already had. Gauff told ESPN,
“’I’ve tried my best to carry this with grace and I’ve been doing my best. So honestly, to those who thought they were putting water on my fire, you were really adding gas to it. And now I’m really burning so bright right now.’”
The ESPN article drives home Gauff’s hard work, humbleness, and appreciation. She honors famous tennis icons like Venus and Serena Williams, who paved the way for her success as a black American tennis player. She undeniably receives many comparisons to the two, but still rejects the idea that she is the ‘next Serena’.
Similarly, Gauff acknowledged another tennis icon at the tournament. The NY Times reported:
“After accepting her check for $3 million, Gauff casually thanked Billie Jean King, who was also on the stage, for fighting for equal pay for women, a gesture showcasing her perspective, humor, and charm, all in one.”
Billie Jean King was another famous American tennis player who is most well-known for closing the pay gap between men’s and women’s major champions. Gauff’s act of thanking her is another gesture of humbleness that she demonstrates throughout her entire run.
Overall I think your work is off to a great start. I like the use of quotes and I think they all do a good job of contributing to the piece. The only portion that I had out of order was when you mentioned how Gauff had been reading online comments during the final round. I had that at the end, but reading through your article on your website it fits better where you put it. I think you could add some more information on the match that she won, incase the reader doesn’t know anything about tennis.
Hi Casey, I liked your news article. I think it was pretty clear and it was easy for me to put the paragraphs into the right order. I think your quotes are useful to the text.