U.S. tennis star Coco Gauff on Saturday after winning the U.S. Open dutifully thanked her family and team, then had some words fore those who she says didn’t think she could win a Grand Slam tournament.
The 19-year-old suggested much of the negative comments came after she lost earlier this summer at Wimbledon in the first round to unranked American Sofia Kenin.
“Honestly, thank you to the people who didn’t believe in me,” Gauff said during the court-side interview Saturday. “Like a month ago, I won a 500 title and people said I would stop at that. Two weeks ago, I won a 1000 title and people were saying that was the biggest I was going to get. So three weeks later, I’m here with this trophy right now. I tried my best to carry this with grace and I’ve been doing my best. So honestly, to those who thought [they] were putting water on my fire, you’re really adding gas to it. And now I’m really burning so bright right now.”