"I want us to grow tennis": Billie Jean King hopes Coco Gauff's US Open win lays blueprint to inspiring similar to Andy Murray in UK

Former world number one Billie Jean King has expressed optimism that Coco Gauff’s recent triumph in the US Open will inspire youngsters to follow tennis in the United States of America.

The 19-year-old is often rated as one of the brightest players currently playing in the women’s singles category.

She lived up to the hype in the recently concluded fourth and final Grand Slam of the year where she defeated the current world number one Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka in the final with a score of 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Read also

"He has written to me a few times": Boris Becker involvement explained by Holger Rune, gave Dane 'tips and tricks'

King, while recently talking to Sky Sports, expressed optimism that Gauff’s success in the US Open will inspire youngsters in America just like Andy Murray’s win inspired a whole generation in Great Britain.

"It was fantastic," she said. "We've all been very anxious for her to win a major. Her winning was very exciting. We were celebrating 50 years of equal prize money for women, so it was really appropriate that she won.

Read also

"Continues to inspire me with her strength, resilience, and principles": Chris Evert shows love towards close friend Martina Navratilova on birthday

"She's a really great kid. Although she's not really a kid anymore, she's starting to be an adult. She's got a wonderful family and I was really happy for her.

“And it was great for the United States because when you have someone homegrown do well, like with Andy Murray for instance, [Emma] Raducanu, it helps get children into our sport. And that's what I like; I want us to grow tennis."

wta

@WTA

·Follow

Winning machine 🤖 @CocoGauff extends her unbeaten run to 16 and will now face Swiatek for a place in the showpiece final! #ChinaOpen

Watch on Twitter

790

Reply

Copy link

Read 20 replies