Former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, were both there in attendance to watch Coco Gauff claim victory on Monday night on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Gauff had just navigated her way through a really hard-fought and heated match against Germany's Laura Siegemund, which was essentially just as much of a psychological struggle as a physical one. But Gauff displayed a lot of her maturity and composure to win it in three difficult sets.
Gauff talked through the obvious challenges she was met with in her first round win at the US Open:
"Yeah, I mean, first rounds are always tricky, especially she played through qualifying. She's a tricky opponent in general. She does a lot of quirky stuff with the slices and coming to the net. I'm just happy I was able to overcome all that. I wasn't playing my best tennis."
Perhaps what was just as notable was Gauff being able to meet with the Obamas moments after winning. Gauff talked in length of her utter excitement at having the opportunity to talk with them:
"I actually just met them right before I came in here. So my mood is a little bit nicer. That lightened my mood. I literally texted, I was like, that's brightened my mood so much. I've met Mrs. Obama before. They told me it was just her initially. Then Mr. Obama was there in the room, too. I was like, Oh my God, I haven't soaked it in. I think I'm never going to forget that moment for the rest of my life.
Gauff even shared some of the advice that was given to her by the Obamas moments later:
"They just told me how to handle myself in these situations. She said it is good to speak up for myself. I think she was happy I spoke up for myself today."
Gauff has turned herself into one of the leading contenders for the US Open title, but she will need to be fully on her game if she is to beat fellow tennis prodigy Mirra Andreeva in the second round. Gauff won their only previous meeting at the French Open earlier this year.
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