'I'm literally living my dream right now': Schoolgirl, 15, who beat her idol Venus Williams at Wimbledon tells of her family and friends' pride – and how the victory made her cry 'for the first time since Ironman died in End Game'
- Cori 'Coco' Gauff beat the seven-time Grand Slam winner on Court One today
- Teen adores the Williams' sisters, and even moved to Florida to further career
- Williams had won four of her Grand Slam titles before Gauff was even born
The 15-year-old schoolgirl who beat her idol Venus Williams at Wimbledon has said she is 'literally living my dream right now'.
Cori 'Coco' Gauff, 15, claimed victory against the seven-time Grand Slam singles winner, 39, on No. 1 court today - less than a week after finishing her exams.
The teenager beat the tennis legend, who had won four of her Grand Slam titles before she was even born, winning 6-4 6-4.
Speaking after the electrifying match, an emotional Gauff revealed her friends and family are ecstatic - including her coach and father Corey.
She said: 'I know [my parents] are super happy, my dad was just jumping up every time I won a point.
'I'm just so happy and blessed that they really just spent all their time on me and my brothers and making sure that we're successful.'
Cori 'Coco' Gauff, 15, has beaten her idol Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon - despite finishing her exams just a week ago
Gauff became the youngest girl in 50 years to qualify for the tournament
Gauff beat the tennis legend, who had won four of her Grand Slam titles before she was even born, winning both sets 6-4
Gauff's father and coach Corey Gauff looked delighted when his daughter won. He watched the game with his wife, Candi
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She went on to joke that she would be staying up all night responding to calls from her brother and grandma and texts from friends.
Gauff was not even born when Williams claimed her first Wimbledon title in 2000.
She had a world ranking of 301 at the start of this year's championships, and was given a wild card entry for her first Grand Slam tournament.
Speaking of her post-match conversation with her hero, Gauff revealed: 'Venus told me congratulations and keep going, she said good luck and I told her thanks for everything she did.
'I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her - I told her she was so inspiring and I've always wanted to tell her that but I've never had the guts to before.'
Ahead of the match, she revealed she listened to music by Jaden, Kendrick Lamar and Miss Mulatto when stepping on to court to help keep her calm.
After winning, Gauff broke down into tears - the first time she had cried since Ironman died in Avengers End Game.
She added: 'Honestly I don’t really know how to feel. This was definitely the first time I ever cried after winning a match. I don’t even know how to explain how I feel.
'I had to tell myself to stay calm, I’d never played on a court so big. I had to remind myself that the lines are the same size.'
The emotional teen revealed after the match that it was the first time she had cried from winning and that Williams gave her some words of encouragement
Speaking after the incredible victory, Gauff said: 'Honestly I don’t really know how to feel'
Williams, pictured during the match today, last won Wimbledon back in 2008
Gauff has modelled her life on the Williams sisters - moving from Atlanta, Georgia, to Florida to further her career.
This isn't the first time she has come face-to-face with her hero - when she was eight, Gauff's father managed to get front-row tickets to the U.S. Open and she even got her autograph.
Earlier this week, she told SportsMail: 'They're great role models for the sport and in general. I'm super excited to play against Venus. I've never practised or hit with either of them.
'My first U.S. Open I went to when I was eight we saw a Venus match, my dad somehow got us front-row tickets. I got her autograph, I was so happy.
'After the match she gave the ball kids one of the balls and he gave it to me — I don't know if she told him to.'
Gauff was the youngest U.S. Open junior finalist at 13, and according to Forbes is set to earn $1million (£800,000) from endorsements in 2019.
Her serve is already among the quickest in women's tennis. She reckons her fastest serve was 122mph.
At Wimbledon last year in the women's singles, only two players broke the 120mph mark: Venus and Serena.
'I want to be the best of all time — better than Serena,' she added. 'I to hit like her, take the ball early like her.
'I wouldn't say everything is modelled around her but if you watch me play you definitely see little bits of Serena.'
This isn't the first time Gauff came face-to-face with her hero Venus, pictured during the match today, either - when she was eight, Gauff's father managed to get front-row tickets to the U.S. Open and she even got her autograph
Cori 'Coco' Gauff is the youngest woman ever in the Open era to qualify for Wimbledon
Gauff was the youngest U.S. Open junior finalist at 13, and according to Forbes is set to earn $1million (£800,000) from endorsements in 2019
