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In the world of tennis, a new star has risen to shine as Serena Williams gracefully exits the court. Coco Gauff, a 19-year-old sensation from Delray Beach, Florida, is making waves in the tennis world and rewriting the financial record books.
Gauff, with her skills, youthful strength, and undeniable talent, has climbed to the ranks of the world’s highest-paid tennis players, amassing an astonishing $15.2 million in 2023, according to a recent report by Billionaires.Africa.
Born in 2004 to parents with athletic backgrounds, Gauff’s journey into tennis began at just 13 years old on the ITF Junior Circuit. Since then, she’s claimed five WTA Tour singles titles, including a prestigious WTA 1000 title at the 2023 Cincinnati Masters and eight doubles titles. Her professional debut in the ITF Women’s Circuit in 2018 marked the beginning of an extraordinary career.
However, it was in 2019 that Gauff truly captured the world’s attention when she defeated the legendary Venus Williams in the opening round of Wimbledon. At just 15 years and three months old, she became the youngest player to qualify for Wimbledon’s main draw in the Open Era.
Since then, Gauff has consistently demonstrated her prowess on and off the court, rising to world No. 4 in singles and world No. 1 in doubles in 2022, as recognized by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA).
In August 2023, Gauff continued her remarkable journey with a stunning win at the U.S. Open, defeating German veteran Laura Siegemund. This victory added to her ever-growing list of achievements.
What’s truly remarkable is Gauff’s financial success. Her earnings over the past year, totaling an impressive $15.2 million, have propelled her to the seventh spot on Forbes’ list of the world’s highest-paid tennis players.
This elite list includes tennis icons like Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Daniil Medvedev, as well as the notable presence of Naomi Osaka, who has been absent from competitive matches since September 2022.
Gauff’s earnings, a combination of $3.2 million in on-court winnings and a staggering $12 million in off-court earnings, not only establish her as a dominant force in the tennis world but also as one of the highest-earning Black individuals globally.
As Serena Williams passes the torch to a new generation, Gauff stands at the forefront as a tennis prodigy and a financial powerhouse, proving that her impact reaches far beyond the tennis court. Her story is not just about winning matches; it’s about rewriting the narrative of success in sports and breaking down barriers along the way.
