Coco Gauff has had a unprecedented 2024 season, but missed out on being named TIME’s Athlete of the 12 months, an honor that went to Caitlin Clark. Regardless of the frustration, Gauff confirmed her class and sportsmanship by overtly supporting Clark, who has made waves in ladies’s basketball. Clark, named TIME’s Athlete of the 12 months, additionally earned the WNBA Rookie of the 12 months title and set an NCAA Division 1 ladies’s basketball scoring document. Gauff, beforehand featured in TIME’s Ladies of the 12 months checklist, expressed real pleasure for Clark’s recognition.
The world No. 3 tennis star had a exceptional yr herself, starting with a semifinal look on the Australian Open and ending together with her first WTA Finals trophy. Gauff additionally claimed titles in Beijing and Auckland and made her Olympic debut, the place she was honored as Crew USA’s flag bearer alongside LeBron James. Regardless of these accomplishments, the TIME title eluded her, however Gauff remained gracious and supportive.
Caitlin Clark’s nasty crossovers and excellent taking pictures are a few of the the explanation why she was named TIME’s Athlete of the 12 months
Clark’s affect on ladies’s basketball has been transformative, drawing document viewerships to the WNBA. Gauff, a former basketball participant in her youth, has been following Clark’s profession since her school days at Iowa Hawkeyes.
She even shared her admiration for Clark with the WTA, saying, “I’ll say if I may go in one other life I’d like to play similtaneously Caitlin Clark simply to see if I may guard her.” Though she admitted it will be a problem now, Gauff expressed curiosity about how she would possibly fare with coaching.
Gauff expresses admiration for Clark
Gauff’s enthusiasm for ladies’s basketball extends past Clark. She eagerly anticipated the 2024 WNBA season, mentioning gamers like Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. “I am simply actually excited to see Caitlin Clark’s first sport, and Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso. I am actually excited to see them on the identical group too,” she stated.
Gauff additionally highlighted the rising traction of girls’s basketball, saying, “It’s extremely thrilling to see the ladies’s sport particularly in basketball getting as a lot traction now. They positively deserve it.”
Gauff has even linked with a few of these athletes by way of social media. She talked about being Instagram mutuals with gamers like Cameron Brink and having exchanged messages with Angel Reese, Caitlin Clark, and Paige Bueckers. Her help for ladies’s basketball and admiration for Clark showcase her sportsmanship and her ardour for empowering feminine athletes throughout sports activities.
