Michelle Obama recently sent an emotional message to Coco Gauff following the American star’s heartbreaking U.S. Open semifinal exit.
Gauff enjoyed a strong run at the U.S. Open, advancing to the semifinals after defeating several top players, including Paula Badosa, Iva Jovic, and Mirra Andreeva. However, her campaign came to a heartbreaking end on Thursday after she lost to Elena Rybakina in the semifinals at Arthur Ashe Stadium. With the victory, Rybakina secured a place in her first U.S. Open final.
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Shortly after the defeat, Gauff received support from Michelle Obama, who shared a sweet message for the 22-year-old on X. Expressing pride in her compatriot, she wrote:
“Big hugs to @CocoGauff!!! She’s a joy to watch. Always proud. Go USA Tennis!! 🙏🏾💕”
Several stars supported Gauff during her U.S. Open run, including ‘Insecure’ star Issa Rae, who met the American after her quarterfinal victory over Andreeva.
Gauff was also looking to win her second U.S. Open title after capturing her maiden Grand Slam trophy at the tournament in 2023 by defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the final.
After defeating Mirra Andreeva in the U.S. Open quarterfinals, Coco Gauff spoke about her form during her post-match press conference. Reflecting on how much she had improved compared to last year, she said:
“I think for sure I mean sometimes you’re just so focused on the now because you want it now and obviously you want to take advantage of your opportunities when you have them. But I mean at the grand scheme of things definitely sitting here in a different mindset and perspective than I was last year. And I think if anything, like you said, it inspires me a little bit more to keep working and because I see how much I’ve improved in a year,” Gauff said.
She added:
“I’m like, okay, if I keep putting in the work and keep refining like things, I think my serve has definitely gotten better even though today didn’t show up quite well, but it’s okay. It’ll show up tomorrow.”
Coco Gauff is now expected to compete at the China Open, which is scheduled to take place from Sept. 30 to Oct. 11.
