The first thing Coco Gauff did after leaving the court in Arthur Ashe Stadium with her first Grand Slam trophy in hand, was don a sponsor’s T-shirt proclaiming her as a champion. So it begins.
Gauff has been in the glaring lights of fame since she was a 15-year-old playing into the fourth round at Wimbledon, but after winning the U.S. Open women’s singles title Saturday, those lights could become blinding and the fame distracting. Additional endorsement offers will pour in — commercial shoots, appearance opportunities, business projects, investment offers and invitations to A-list social events will pile up in the near and long term future.
Gauff has demonstrated a composed maturity in her time in the public eye, and she declared herself up for the challenge of becoming even more famous and rich, even as she tries to keep winning important tournaments.