American tennis sensation Coco Gauff, fresh off her triumph at the 2023 U.S. Open, recently divulged her latent aspiration for a cross-sport encounter with basketball prodigy Caitlin Clark, famed as the NCAA’s record-breaking scorer. Reflecting on her victory at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, Gauff, now 20, mused about her hypothetical ability to defend against Clark on the basketball court, reminiscing about her earlier foray into the sport encouraged by her father, Corey, a former collegiate basketball player. Despite her current tennis prowess, Gauff acknowledged her dad’s vision of her as a versatile athlete, while emphasizing her dedication to tennis, which has propelled her to the pinnacle of the sport with a No. 3 world ranking and a major title.

Gauff’s fascination with basketball extends beyond her personal ambitions, as she eagerly embraces the rise of women’s basketball and its burgeoning stars like Clark, Cameron Brink, and Angel Reese, engaging with them on social media and celebrating their success. The recent WNBA draft, where Clark was selected first overall by the Indiana Fever, Brink went second to the Los Angeles Sparks, and Reese landed with the Chicago Sky, marked a milestone for women’s basketball, drawing record viewership.

Amidst Gauff’s tennis accolades and her admiration for basketball’s ascendance, she envisions a symbiotic relationship between sports, foreseeing mutual elevation and increased recognition for women athletes across various disciplines. As she continues her tennis journey, Gauff remains captivated by the evolving landscape of women’s sports and the opportunities it presents for athletes to shine on a global stage.