Gauff Nominated For People's Choice Athlete Of The Year Award

| by Nurein Ahmed

Coco Gauff has been nominated for a prestigious awards category by the People's Choice in recognition of her breakthrough year in 2023.

As the name suggests, the People's Choice Awards is voted for and decided by the general public and fans worldwide who can show their support for their favorite nominees online in no fewer than 45 categories ranging from film, television, music, sports, and more.

Originally incepted in 1975, the awards ceremony has been held annually since, and the 2024 show will take place on February 18th. Gauff has been nominated in the Athlete of the Year category and is the only tennis player who has made this exclusive list.

She is in great company with the likes of LeBron James, who is one of her idols, and Argentina footballer Lionel Messi. Gauff is also one of three sportswomen to feature in the eight-player shortlist. The other two are also Americans: gymnast Simone Biles and basketball player Sabrina Ionescu.

'My Serve Has Improved': Gauff Lauds Roddick Impact In Refining Her Serve During Pre-Season
'My Serve Has Improved': Gauff Lauds Roddick Impact In Refining Her Serve During Pre-Season

Gauff's presence in the list comes as a result of a stellar season in 2023 in which she achieved a number of firsts. It was the first time in her young career that she won a title bigger than a WTA 250. During the North American summer hard court swing, she swept three titles.

One of those included her maiden Grand Slam in New York, in which she became the youngest American champion of the US Open since Serena Williams, her childhood idol. The 19-year-old also rose to a career-high ranking of World No. 3 and qualified for the WTA Finals for a second year in a row.

Gauff hasn't let that early success affect her performances negatively and has been constantly looking to improve during the off-season. She worked with former world No. 1 Andy Roddick to help tweak her serve.

And that has already paid dividends after she successfully defended her title in Auckland and progressed into the third round of the 2024 Australian Open.

Gauff Extends Her Winning Streak To Seven Matches To Advance At Australian Open
Gauff Extends Her Winning Streak To Seven Matches To Advance At Australian Open

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