Losing in the finals of the French Open women’s tennis tournament earlier this year was a heartbreaker for teenager Coco Gauff. To come so close to a major title and then have it get away from her proved to be painful.
But as a Christian, Gauff knew there would be other days for God to lift her up. That day came Saturday, when Grauff rallied from a set down to defeat the world’s No. 2 player, Aryna Sabalenka, to win the prestigious U.S. Open, the first major championship of her career.
That day in June in Paris taught Gauff patience and the ability to trust more in Jesus.
“I realized that God puts you through trials,” Gauff said. “This makes this moment even sweeter than I could imagine. I don’t pray for results. I just ask that I get the strength to give it my all. Whatever happens, happens. I’m so blessed in this life.”
While many commented that Gauff was simply “soaking in the moment” of the biggest victory of her career Saturday by kneeling down on the players’ bench after the match, in reality, Grauff was praying and thanking her Lord and Savior.
“I was just saying thank you and I understood like all the tough times were just to make that moment even sweeter. I think if it came easy, I wouldn’t feel as appreciative as I did in that moment,” she said.
Grauff became the youngest American woman to win the U.S. Open since Serena Williams in 1999.
The French Open defeat hasn’t been the only disappointment Gauff has faced this year on the women’s tennis circuit. She also lost in the first round at Wimbledon in July, but she rebounded with a victory in a tournament in Washington, D.C.
“I want to thank my Father, God, for this,” Gauff said after winning the tournament in Washington. “After losing in the first round at Wimbledon, it was a tough situation. A lot of prayer, a lot of support from my church family. So, thank you to Him and to those who support me.”
Gauff and her father, Corey, pray together before all of her matches. She doesn’t pray for her to win, however, just for the continued health of both players, The New York Times reported. {eoa}
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Shawn A. Akers is the online editor at Charisma Media.
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