Coco Gauff, the 15-year old athlete who made tennis history at Wimbledon this year, was just spotted with former First Lady Michelle Obama while in D.C. for the Citi Open Tennis Tournament.
They were seen swapping autographs—Gauff signed a tennis racket for Obama, who autographed the tennis player’s copy of her book Becoming.
https://twitter.com/MichelleObama/status/1157033176587522048
Gauff was more than excited to meet one of her idols. “Her words and wisdom on my journey will stay with me on the court over the course of my career,” she tweeted on Thursday of the encounter. She also posted a photo of the two sharing an embrace.
https://twitter.com/CocoGauff/status/1157036178060861452
Inside Gauff’s signed copy of Obama’s memoir, the former first lady wrote, “I wish you courage, strength, joy and love on your journey to become more.”
Obama has been a supporter of Gauff since her rise to fame at Wimbledon this year, where, at just 15, she became the youngest tennis player to qualify for the main draw of the tournament.
She defeated another one of her idols—Venus Williams—at a match in Wimbledon last month. Gauff received widespread support from tennis fans around the world, including Obama. (Gauff’s Wimbledon run ended with a loss to Simona Halep, who ultimately won the tournament.)
https://twitter.com/MichelleObama/status/1147285271433678848
As the Citi Open Tennis Tournament comes to a close, Gauff is already out of the running in the singles competition—she lost to Zarina Diyas from Kazakhstan on Tuesday. But she is still competing as part of a doubles team with fellow American teen Caty McNally.
This story has been updated with information about Gauff’s doubles competition at Citi Open.
