The Williams sisters will leave an enormous void in American tennis, but can Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe come close to filling it?
In the last couple of years, Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe have proved to be two of the biggest names among quite a few rising stars in American tennis.
Even after the legendary Serena Williams recently bid adieu to the sport and with Venus Williams nearing the end of her career, many ardent followers and experts believe that tennis in the US is in safe hands.
Next Gen players like Taylor Fritz, Reilly Opelka, Madison Keys, Danielle Collins, Amanda Anisimova, Maxime Cressy, and Tommy Paul, among others, are widely tipped to step up to the plate in the coming years. However, Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe's on-court accomplishments matter a lot more in the symbolic takeover from the Williams sisters.
The iconic duo of Serena and Venus, who turned pro in the mid-90s, are believed to have changed the sport for the better through their game and persona. While Serena collected 23 Grand Slam singles titles, Venus lifted seven. Together, they won 14 Majors in the doubles category. But they didn't let the limelight that they got due to their on-court success go to waste.
Neither of them ever shied away from speaking publicly about issues that they felt needed to be addressed. Marred by controversy at the beginning of their careers, the sisters decided to boycott the Indian Wells Open for about 13 years after they, along with their father, were heckled by the crowd during Serena's title clash against Kim Clijsters in 2001.
Spectators were angry after Venus withdrew from her semifinal match due to a knee issue against 19-year-old Serena, alleging rumors of match-fixing. While the younger Williams returned to the event in 2015, her sister came back only in 2016.
Serena Williams continued her fight against a number of other matters of concern, like equal pay for men and women and calling out officials for penalizing women more than men for their outbursts on the court. Most current colored players credit the Williams sisters for inspiring them to take up the sport.
In a recent interview, Naomi Osaka said:
"The Williams sisters were such trailblazers and tackled so many issues head-on. As a black female athlete, I credit them for breaking down barriers for me."
In his tribute to Serena after her retirement, British racer Lewis Hamilton remarked:
"Williams sisters made me believe that superheroes are real, and they can look like me and my family."
Coco Gauff and Tiafoe have a beautiful opportunity to become similar role models for the next generation of kids.
Ever since turning pro in 2018, Coco Gauff has been the sole breadwinner in her family after her parents closed down their restaurants to support her tennis career. Corey Gauff, Coco's father, once joked that this decision made them go from being a “single-income family” to a “no-income family.”
After winning one of his career's biggest matches against Rafael Nadal recently, Tiafoe revealed the hardships that his parents faced when they migrated from Sierra Leone to the US in the '90s. He stated that while his father worked as a maintenance worker, his mother was a nurse who worked two shifts.
Most of the other current American players mentioned above, meanwhile, have enjoyed a rather luxurious life while growing up. Taylor Fritz is the son of former professional players Kathy May and Guy Henry Fritz.
Jessica Pegula is the daughter of billionaires Kim Pegula and Terry Pegula. Amanda Anisimova's parents Olga Anisimova and Konstantin Anisimov moved from Russia to the US in 1998 and worked in the finance and banking industries.
Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe's professional journey so far
Coco Gauff has already started headlining big events at the age of 18. In the WTA rankings, she is currently sitting in 12th position in singles, while occupying the top spot in the doubles category. The prodigy reached her first-ever Grand Slam final without dropping a single set at this year's French Open, where she lost to World No. 1 Iga Swiatek.
Tiafoe, who has been sporting Serena's GOAT hoodie and Osaka's NikeCourt shoes in his matches at the ongoing US Open, is the only player, male or female, from the US to reach the semifinals at Flushing Meadows this year.
This is the first time since Arthur Ashe 50 years ago in 1972 that a black American man has made it to the last four at the US Open. The 24-year-old has time and again cited the Williams sisters as the reason why he picked up a tennis racquet and achieved success.
Both Tiafoe and Guaff seem to be on the right path until now, and should aim for longevity at the top. However, it's not just Gauff and Tiafoe's on-court endeavors that have contributed to their overall aura as athletes, but also the fact that the two youngsters have been brave enough to voice their opinions on some of the world's most critical issues.
They have stood up and spoken up at a time when public figures know that regardless of what they say, at least one army of online trolls will pounce on them.
Coco Gauff, Frances Tafoe on Black Lives Matter movement, US Supreme Court's abortion ruling, and gun violence
After the murder of George Floyd in 2020, protests were held in various locations throughout the US. A 16-year-old Coco Gauff made headlines for her hard-hitting speech at one of the protests, where she appealed to everyone to raise their voices against racism.
"I think it’s sad that I’m here, protesting the same thing that my grandmother did 50-plus years ago. You need to use your voice, no matter how big or small your platform is. I saw a Martin Luther King quote that said, 'The silence of the good people is worse than the brutality of the bad people.' So, you need to not be silent. If you are choosing silence, you're choosing the side of the oppressor," Coco Gauff said.
Similarly, Frances Tiafoe urged influential people to use their powers for what's right. He also collaborated with various current and former players for a video called 'Racquets down, hands up'.
“I think if more people who have weight, who have a big platform, speak out then I think change can happen and you can be optimistic. Obviously, you see everything going on in America right now, I think it’s a good idea to come together right now and try to speak out," Tiafoe said.
During his 2020 US Open matches, Tiafoe wore masks, hoodies, and shoes, which had 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Respect us' written on them.
Frances Tiafoe has "Black Lives Matter" and "Respect Us!" written on his sneakers. https://t.co/bObW6gzMWp
In June, the United States Supreme Court reversed the '1973 Roe vs Wade' judgment by a majority of 6-3, allowing all 50 states in the country to decide whether to ban abortion or not. Coco Gauff was among the first to express her disappointment at the decision, stating that it was a sad day for the country.
"Incredibly disappointed by the decision made today. The sad part is this will not stop abortions from happening… this will only increase illegal and unsafe abortions. Today is a very sad day for our country and I cannot believe once again history is repeating itself," Coco Gauff wrote.
Incredibly disappointed by the decision made today. The sad part is this will not stop abortions from happening… this will only increase illegal and unsafe abortions. Today is a very sad day for our country and I cannot believe once again history is repeating itself.
A couple of gruesome cases of mass shootings in the US in May that led to the death of innocent children and adults forced Coco Gauff to once again come forward and use her position to raise awareness about gun violence. Upon winning her Roland Garros semifinal match, she wrote on the camera lens:
"Peace. End Gun Violence.”
After advancing to the French Open final, Coco Gauff shared a message calling for peace and an end to gun violence. https://t.co/eGbgF8whNL
Are Gauff and Tiafoe ready for the leap?
Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe are ready and have already made the leap. They are not the only players of color to speak up against injustice and serious issues, as Naomi Osaka has been just as instrumental in raising awareness. However, after her performance dipped in the last year and a half, she has started to phase out in the fans' eyes.
As Billie Jean King once famously said, “Unless I was No. 1, I wouldn’t be listened to," Coco Gauff and Frances Tiafoe will need to win regularly and stay at the top to be heard and taken seriously. They have showed their prowess and now they need to temper it with consistency.