Coco Gauff can do for US tennis what Andy Murray & Emma Raducanu have done for UK: Billie Jean King
Coco Gauff, Emma Raducanu and Andy Murray all come from countries with rich tennis history. And with a Grand Slam of their own, they have already done their bit to further the legacy.
Gauff's latest triumph at the 2023 US Open has drawn praise from the world over. Former World No. 1 Billie Jean King, for one, views the achievement in a particularly positive light, not just for the youngster, but for tennis in the US at large.
Describing a homegrown star lifting the US Open trophy as "great" during her latest interview with Sky Sports, King said it could have the same impact in the US as Andy Murray and Emma Raducanu winning Grand Slam titles had in the UK.
Stressing on the importance of having someone win big on the home soil, the American said there is nothing that can help the sport grow more.
"It was great for the United States because when you have someone homegrown do well, like with Andy Murray for instance, [Emma] Raducanu, it helps get children into our sport. And that's what I like; I want us to grow tennis," Billie Jean Kind said.
King went on to heap praise on Coco Gauff, saying the tennis world was anxiously awaiting the first Grand Slam win for the youngster. She dubbed the victory as both "fantastic" and "exciting".
"It was fantastic. We've all been very anxious for her to win a major. Her winning was very exciting. We were celebrating 50 years of equal prize money for women, so it was really appropriate that she won," Billie Jean King said of Coco Gauff's success.
Billie Jean King dubs Coco Gauff, Emma Raducanu 'great' people
Billie Jean King further praised both Coco Gauff and Emma Raducanu in the same interview, saying the talented young athletes were "great" people as well.
"Coco's a really great kid. Although she's not really a kid anymore, she's starting to be an adult. She's got a wonderful family and I was really happy for her," she added.
King went on to express hope of a speedy recovery for Raducanu, who has been sidelined for months owing to a spate of injuries and wrist surgeries.
The American said the former British No. 1 was an interesting person given her multi-cultural heritage, adding that she was looking forward to what the next chapter holds for her.
"We need Emma Raducanu to be healthy, number one. She's a great person. She's interested in the world around her, she can speak more than one language - she can speak Chinese because her mother's Chinese. She's somebody who I think is interesting as a human being. I'm interested in her next chapter," Billie Jean King concluded.