Watch: Coco Gauff serves first pitch in San Francisco Giants's MLB game at Oracle Park
World No. 11 Coco Gauff served up the first pitch in the San Francisco Giants' MLB match on Friday.
The Giants, who are currently fourth in the National League West table, took on the Chicago Cubs at Oracle Park. Coco Gauff entered the field and served up the ceremonial first pitch, where a guest of honor throws an inaugural ball before the start of the match. Unfortunately, the Giants lost 4-2 to the Cubs.
American tennis phenom, Coco Gauff, throws out tonight’s first pitch. https://t.co/CaQ1gwaRx8
This isn't the first time a tennis player has served the first pitch in an MLB game. Back in 2014, Milos Raonic did this in the Toronto Blue Jays' match against the Boston Red Sox at the Rogers Center.
The incident gained some popularity as the former Wimbledon runner-up served the first pitch with his racket and a tennis ball instead of throwing a baseball. Unsurprisingly, the catcher missed the ball.
Coco Gauff is set to compete at the Silicon Valley Classic
Coco Gauff will play her first match of the American hardcourt swing at the Silicon Valley Classic in San Jose, California.
The 18-year-old last competed at Wimbledon and reached the third round after defeating two Romanians, Elena-Gabriela Ruse and Mihaela Buzarnescu, in the previous rounds. However, she was defeated 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-1 by compatriot and eventual quarterfinalist Amanda Anisimova in the round of 32.
Gauff played two exhibition matches in Atlanta against Taylor Townsend and 2020 Australian Open champion Sofia Kenin. The World No. 11 beat the former 6-3, 6-3 before triumphing 6-1, 6-2 over the former World No. 4.
Following her victory over Kenin, Gauff said that her experience in Atlanta was fantastic.
“Yeah, my experience here in Atlanta has been fantastic. I grew up here and haven’t been back (in) 10 years. So, very warm welcome," the French Open runner-up stated.
Gauff is seeded sixth in the Silicon Valley Classic and will face Anhelina Kalinina in the opening round. If the 18-year-old wins, she will face either Naomi Osaka or Zheng Qinwen in the last 16 of the competition.
Gauff has produced some very good performances over the past few months, reaching the French Open final and the semifinals of the bett1open. The American has a good chance of breaking into the top 10 of the WTA rankings in the upcoming summer hardcourt swing heading into the US Open.