"She was saying, 'I love you' over and over" - Coco Gauff recalls hilarious fan interaction in Beijing following China Open win
Coco Gauff is undeniably one of the biggest names in tennis right now, particularly in American tennis, with a global fanbase to match. Her popularity reached new heights when a female fan humorously professed her love for her after the American's China Open title win a few days ago.
Gauff's campaign in Beijing was nothing short of a fairytale as she regained her footing following a slump in form and a coaching change. She defeated the likes of Clara Burel, Katie Boulter, Naomi Osaka, Yulia Starodubtseva, Paula Badosa, and Karolina Muchova to get her hands on the trophy.
The 20-year-old is currently competing at the Wuhan Open and shared her experience of the love she received in Beijing during a press conference. She recalled being caught off guard by an elderly man holding a pink sign adorned with her name, stars, and messages of love, which she later signed.
"There was like an old man, I posted my story, he had my name holding like a pink sign with my name, it had hearts and stars and stuff. I just wasn't expecting it. I've never had that from like an older fan before. Usually young ones," she said.
"In my final in Beijing, I saw him when I walked on the court. Afterwards, I went to sign it. Yeah, he just wanted it to be signed. He was very appreciative of it. I don't know. It just meant a lot to me to see maybe someone a lot older supporting me and coming out with the sign," she added.
Coco Gauff also recalled how a woman repeatedly shouted, "I love you!" at her. The "enthusiastic" fan's excitement made her and the security guards laugh.
"Also after my final, there was a lady, she was saying, 'I love you, I love you,' over and over, like screaming. The security guards were laughing. I was laughing because of how enthusiastic she was," the former US Open champion noted.
Coco Gauff to face Marta Kostyuk in Wuhan Open 3R
Coco Gauff kicked off her campaign at the 2024 Wuhan Open in the second round, securing a convincing victory over Viktoriya Tomova with a score of 6-1, 6-2. She is set to meet Marta Kostyuk in the next round.
Gauff and Kostyuk are no strangers to each other on the WTA Tour, having faced off three times. Their first encounter was at the Adelaide International in 2022, where the former emerged victorious. They then clashed twice this year, with Gauff winning their match at the Australian Open and Kostyuk claiming victory at the Stuttgart Open.
If the American secures a win against Kostyuk at the WTA 1000 tournament, she has a challenging path ahead, potentially clashing with Daria Kasatkina, Aryna Sabalenka, and Jessica Pegula.