Family, friends, and future pro tennis hopefuls who trained alongside Gauff not surprised by her sudden success

Record ID: 1422317

  • Title: Family, friends, and future pro tennis hopefuls who trained alongside Gauff not surprised by her sudden success
  • Date: 6th July 2019
  • Summary: DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (JULY 5, 2019) (REUTERS) YOUNG TENNIS PLAYER HITTING SHOTS AT PROWORLD TENNIS ACADEMY WHERE COCO GAUFF TRAINS PLAYERS ON COURT PRACTICING (SOUNDBITE) (English) YOUNG THAI TENNIS PLAYER CREDIT CHAIYARIN SAYING: "When I see her (Gauff) like on TV she's very, I like her like attitude and it's getting her places so I think like me copying that would make me play the same." (SOUNDBITE) (English) YOUNG MALE TENNIS PLAYER SAYING: "So I was training with her (Gauff) when I was like 13, 14 (years old), we were training together for like two, three years, three years together. She's taller than me, bigger than me, strong, she's powerful and very smart at the same time but she is, she's unbelievable at that time, she's too strong and can run all day." (SOUNDBITE) (English) YOUNG AMERICAN TENNIS PLAYER VICTORIA SASINKA SAYING: "Yeah it's certainly a motivation seeing that it's possible that people like my age are playing at that level so it's like motivation pushing me." YOUNG TENNIS PLAYERS WATCHING COCO GAUFF MATCH AND CHEERING FOR HER (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROWORLD TENNIS ACADEMY FOOTWORK TRAINER JEFF DROCK ON GAUFF'S SUCCESS, SAYING: "I jump up and down, yell at the TV, it's amazing. I mean I knew that she would break through but I was thinking more like the age of 17, so for her to be breaking through at the age of 15 is, it just kind of blows my mind...but she's incredible." (SOUNDBITE) (English) GAYEL BLACK, WIFE OF ONE OF COCO GAUFF'S EARLY COACHES SLY BLACK, SAYING: "I knew from the very beginning she could be this good after all three of my daughters were her age doing well that I knew she could just take it all the way as far as they wanted to go." (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRO WORLD TENNIS ACADEMY FOOTWORK TRAINER JEFF DROCK ON GAUFF'S SUCCESS, SAYING: "And she's always, just her desire, motivation, focus is on a totally different planet." (SOUNDBITE) (English) GAYEL BLACK, WIFE OF ONE OF COCO GAUFF'S EARLY COACHES SLY BLACK, SAYING: "I think everyone I've talked to they're so excited, the kids and the parents are just so excited to know a little girl that could go so far, they all knew her since she was like six years old so they've been following her all these years and hitting with her and I've seen girls just walk up to her and ask 'Coco will you hit with me' and she gets on the court and hits with them and they just leave town with the biggest grin in the world on their face." CROWD INSIDE GAYEL BLACK'S PARADISE SPORTSBAR WATCHING AND REACTING TO COCO GAUFF'S THIRD ROUND MATCH AT WIMBLEDON
  • Embargoed: 20th July 2019 01:46
  • Keywords: Wimbledon Cori "Coco" Gauff Proworld Tennis Academy Paradise Sports Bar
  • Location: DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
  • City: DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Sport,Tennis
  • Reuters ID: LVA001AMI758F
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Teenage Wimbledon sensation Cori "Coco" Gauff developed her game in Delray Beach, Florida and the players who saw her sharpen her skills and in many cases hit with her on the practice courts at Proworld Tennis Academy are delighted by her success but not surprised they said Friday (July 5).
    From the lifelong coaches to the young tennis players at Proworld, none of them are surprised to see Gauff having success on the tennis court, though it might be coming a little earlier than they expected.
    At the nearby Paradise Sports Lounge, owned by Gayel Black whose husband Sly Black used to coach Gauff, supporters went wild cheering on the fifteen-year-old as she clawed her way back from a set and 5-2 down and saved two match points to beat Slovenia's Polona Hercog 3-6 7-6(7) 7-5 and reach the fourth round.
    Back at Proworld the young players are also excited to see someone they know have success on such a big stage it gives them hope and motivation that they too can achieve their tennis dreams.
    Gauff will need all the support she can get on Monday when she faces her stiffest test yet in seventh seed and former world number one Simona Halep.
    (Production: Peter Bullock)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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