Venus Williams shares wish for Coco Gauff as 20-year-old star closes in on Serena record

Gauff started strong, winning the Auckland Classic back in January.

But she went on to struggle on the Grand Slam stage, crashing out of Wimbledon and the US Open in the fourth round, while she was knocked out in the semifinals at the Australian and French Open.

The World No. 3 bounced back at the China Open earlier this month, winning her second WTA Tour title of the year and followed up with a run to the last four of the Wuhan Open a week later.

Those back-to-back performances ensured she was able to qualify for elite eight-player field for the season-ending WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia.

It will be the third time Gauff competes at the event and she will be looking to go a couple of steps further than in 2023, when she was beaten in the semifinals.

While there are a few questions hanging over her head – especially around her service game – the 20-year-old has been backed for glory by Williams.

The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion has shared her hopes for Gauff, as well as sharing some words of wisdom on how she can achieve her dream.

“It’s so exciting to see her just like… explode,” Venus said.

“She is fantastic, and of course, I hope she wins every match.

“You have to dream. Doesn’t mean that there won’t be turns all the way, or someday there’s gonna be ups and downs, but as long as you have your north star.

Venus has backed Gauff to break one of Serena’s records

“There’s times when you have to figure out how to do it another way. But all that is a part of [it]. You have to dream big.”

Venus’s comments come as Gauff is on the brink of beating a record set by her sister, Serena.

As it stands, the younger Williams sister secured 22 victories over former Grand Slam champions by the time she turned 21 – the most of any player on the WTA Tour.
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Gauff, as it stands, is on 20. Her triumph over Naomi Osaka at the China Open was her most recent win over an ex-Grand Slam winner.

She does not turn 21 until next March, meaning she has five months to match, or beat, Serena’s record.

If Gauff “explodes” as Venus hopes, another record will fall to the American sensation.

But rather than focusing on personal accolades, Gauff’s eyes will be fully fixed on a solid run at the WTA Finals, regardless of if she faces a Grand Slam champion or not.