18-year-old Coco Gauff will play her first Grand Slam final at the 2022 French Open, but the young American knew she had a bright future ahead of her seven years ago.
Coco Gauff's breakthrough as a 15-year-old at Wimbledon was memorable. Her run to the fourth round at SW19 included a victory against Venus Williams, one of her idols growing up.
After this, expectations of the teenager soared to new heights. It sometimes felt like many in the media forgot how young Gauff was and that she needed more time to develop before being ready to reach the very top.
However, nearly three years since her run at Wimbledon, Gauff has achieved the deeper breakthrough so many were hoping for by reaching the French Open final. She overcame Martina Trevisan in the semifinal.
The American will have undoubtedly needed a lot of mental strength to overcome the pressure on her before she made the final at Roland-Garros. But a video from when she was 11-years-old might help explain where her mental fortitude comes from.
In the video that can be viewed below, Gauff clearly realizes just how talented she is. Although she does not like boasting, the future major finalist knows she is one of the best in the world in her age group and higher age groups.
Gauff then sounds wise beyond her years by arguing that staying at the top is more complicated than getting there in the first place. That mentality is rare for a child but shows fans that her winning mentality has existed from a young age.
She finishes by being honest about her expectations. Gauff clearly wants to improve and be the greatest of all time when she becomes a professional. Whether she can achieve that remains to be seen, but her mindset will undoubtedly take her a long way in the sport.