Coco Gauff Advances At U.S. Open, Says It Would Be A ‘Lifelong Dream’ To Face Serena Williams

Coco Gauff easily dispatched fellow American Madison Keys in the third round of the U.S. Open on Friday, and hopes to face an American legend later on in the tournament.

After her surprisingly 6-2, 6-3 victory over No. 20 Madison Keys in Arthur Ashe Stadium that moved her into the second week of the Open for the first time, No. 12 Gauff said she hopes she will eventually face Serena Williams — a match that wouldn’t happen until the semifinals on Thursday.

“It’s so special and she’s playing well, so I know she’s on my side of the draw, I don’t know when, I don’t want to know when if I were to face her but that’s the goal,” Gauff told ESPN’s Mary Joe Fernandez on court.

“So hopefully we can both keep winning and that can happen because it’s been a lifelong dream of mine to do that.”

Gauff, who has won 11 of her last 13 Grand Slam singles matches after reaching the French Open final, next faces Zhang Shuai in the fourth round Sunday, while Serena will face Asla Tomjanovic in the third round at 7 p.m. Friday night in Ashe.

This was the second time Gauff won a match in Ashe while playing immediately before Serena.

“It’s been amazing, I haven’t missed it,” Gauff said of Serena’s matches, including her victory over world No. 2 Anett Kontaveit Wednesday night.

“Even the day where I watched it on TV, I had to order room service just so I could watch it by myself.

She recalled how, as a 13-year-old, she was in the stands watching Venus play on a day when Serena also competed.

“So it’s just crazy actually being on this court,” she said. “I was trying to flex to my friends that I had courtside seats but now I’m on the court so….Yeah, I love playing on Ashe and I’m glad I’m finally winning matches on this court.”

Gauff, 18, and Serena, nearly 41, have never met, but Coco has talked about how Serena and Venus both served as role models for her. Both sisters reached No. 1 in the world after learning the game from their father Richard Williams on outdoor public hardcourts in Compton, Calif.

Gauff said earlier this week “growing up I never thought that I was different because the No. 1 player in the world was somebody who looked like me.”

Gauff said she learned how to handle herself with poise and confidence by watching Serena.

“I feel like Serena taught me that,” she said earlier this week. “She never settled for less. I can’t remember a moment in her career or life that she settled for less. I think that’s something I took from. As a person, I’m growing into being an adult and learning how to handle things now with the media and tennis and everything, I’m trying to learn to not settle for less.”

Gauff revealed that the first money she ever made for herself, came from playing Serena in a commercial.

“They needed a stunt double to play a young version of her from just the face down,” she said. “I think it was for a Delta commercial. I don’t think they ever used it, but that was, like, my first check I ever got as a kid. She doesn’t know this, but the first money I ever made for myself was because of her doing a commercial.”

Asked to reflect on those kinds of comments from younger players, Serena said:

“I feel grateful that I can have that impact. I never thought I would have that impact, ever. I was just a girl trying to play tennis in a time where I could develop this impact and be a voice. It was just so authentic ’cause I do what I do, and I just do it authentically me. I think people could really relate to that.”