Coco Gauff on Serena Williams: The first money I ever made was because of her

Coco Gauff fields questions, including those about Serena Williams, during US Open's Media Day.

Coco Gauff has emulated Serena Williams not just in her tennis career but also in a commercial.

On US Open Media Day, Gauff shared how she first met one of her role models – the other was Serena's big sister Venus Williams – by being her stunt double in an ad, allowing her to earn herself a first paycheck.

"I first met Serena (Williams), she definitely doesn't know this, I think I was nine or 10 years old. They needed a stunt double to play a young version of her, just the face down. I think it was for a Delta commercial.

"I don't think they ever used it, but that was, like, my first check I ever got as a kid. She (Serena Williams) doesn't know this, but the first money I ever made for myself was because of her doing a commercial," said Coco Gauff.

Coco Gauff (rightmost) and Serena Williams (third from left) pose for a photo with (L-R) Alison Riske, Kathy Rinaldi, Sofia Kenin and Bethanie Mattek-Sands in the 2020 Fed Cup.

Gauff added that she met Serena and took a picture with her during filming, which she believes the six-time US Open champ and 23-time Major winner would not remember.

"I met her (Serena Williams). I stopped by her trailer, took a picture. She probably doesn't even know. My mom actually sent me a picture, like, a couple of weeks ago of me waiting, getting my hair done by the people," added Coco Gauff.

Gauff also touched on her commercial stint as a body double for the 40-year-old soon-to-retire star Williams in her ESPN Cover Story feature.

The 2022 French Open runner-up shared that she mistakenly thought that the director had asked her to serve like Serena – writer Alyssa Roenigk wrote that Gauff was only asked if she could serve – so she hit it as hard as she could and made it.

"It was so cool," said Gauff. "I remember trying to hit the serve so hard. And I made it in."

"Hopefully one day we can get the No. 1 singles ranking. I guess my goal now is to try to be No. 1 at both at the same time" - Coco Gauff

Coco Gauff during her practice session for the US Open

Coco Gauff holds the No. 1 spot in doubles for nearly two weeks now and she doesn't want to stop there.

Eyeing lofty goals, Gauff eyes the same top ranking in singles as well. After getting a lot of success in the doubles department, Gauff wants to translate that success to her singles career.

"It's pretty cool to be No. 1 in something. It's a, I guess, a surprising goal that I hit. I always say pretty much from my juniors, junior career, that all my firsts have been in doubles. Hopefully, one day, we can get the No. 1 singles ranking. I guess my goal now is to try to be No. 1 at the both at the same time. That might take some time, but that would be pretty cool, too," said Gauff during the US Open's Media Day.