Coco Gauff, who shot to fame by reaching the Wimbledon final 16 as a 15-year-old in 2019, is the newest main WTA Tour participant to write down a BBC Sport column.
In her newest piece earlier than the Australian Open fourth spherical, the American seventh seed talks about her different position as a TikTok trendsetter and the way her dad turned a viral sensation.
Skilled tennis generally is a robust enterprise so it is very important discover a option to unwind – I really like to do this by creating movies on TikTok.
I discover it one of the simplest ways to flee from tennis. Possibly some individuals suppose there are higher methods to flee from issues however that’s the Gen Z approach!
It is the one app the place I am not essentially seen as a tennis participant. Some individuals who comply with me do not even know I play tennis.
Clearly individuals comply with me on Instagram and Twitter, which is especially all tennis content material, whereas I not often put up tennis content material on TikTok. I solely put stuff there if I could make it humorous.
I had a viral dance which had hundreds of thousands of views. No one knew it was my dance – that is my enjoyable reality.
I made it as a joke and influencers with hundreds of thousands of followers have been doing the dance and a few of them have been crediting me. So perhaps I am a trendsetter on TikTok!
It isn’t the one dance I’ve had go viral, actually I had one this week which had two million views.
The rationale that went viral was due to my dad! Everyone seems to be loving the video of him doing a dance – primarily as a result of he wasn’t that good at it.
My dad claims he does not like the eye however I believe he secretly loves it. He is the kind of man who likes to make individuals chuckle.
He is undoubtedly enjoying into it! He did a remake after the primary video and if I requested him to do one other video, I am certain he would.
The video was a pattern to ‘social gathering subsequent door’ and everyone seems to be doing it with their mother and father, however I believe I used to be the primary individual to not train them the dance, I informed them simply to repeat me.
I believe that’s the reason why it blew up as a result of I created my very own pattern – and perhaps as a result of individuals thought my dad was trash.
After I informed my dad it had gone viral and what number of views it had, he mentioned: “What does viral imply? And do I get a cheque?” He must receives a commission!
Gauff celebrated profitable her first WTA title as a 15-year-old in 2019 together with her mother and father Candi and Corey, when she beat Jelena Ostapenko – her last-16 opponent in Melbourne on Sunday – within the Linz finalHow listening to Jaden, The Weeknd & J Cole places me within the zone
Individuals could have seen that once I stroll out onto courtroom I often have my headphones on.
Doing this actually began at Wimbledon in 2019 – the place I made my breakthrough once I was 15 – as a result of I did not need to hear the gang once I walked on.
I did not do it within the qualifying matches, it simply began with the primary draw. I did not need to hear the gang as a result of I assumed it could make me extra nervous and you will note wanting again I all the time walked in with my head down.
Even now I am older and extra skilled, sporting the headphones and listening to hype music is one thing which has caught.
Now I’ve transitioned from strolling with my head all the way down to wanting up on the crowd. I really feel I’ve now turn out to be comfy sufficient to provide the followers a little bit wave, too. Typically I will not, it depends upon how nervous I’m feeling.
The one time I do not put on my headphones is that if I overlook them.
I flip the quantity down so I do know once I’m being informed to stroll out of the tunnel after which I change the music again as much as full blast.
It is probably not a superstition factor, I might say I am not a superstition individual.
The ultimate tune I play – the one which actually will get me pumped as I stroll out – adjustments from event to event.
However to date this 12 months I’ve gone again to my roots – I am enjoying Icon by Jaden Smith. That is what I used to be listening to at Wimbledon in 2019.
I actually love this tune. The instrument enjoying initially will get me pumped up and the tune makes me really feel like an icon!
I am into all forms of music however my primary artist on my wrap final 12 months was The Weeknd. Then it was Jaden, adopted by J Cole. They have been my high three artists final 12 months and who I listened to probably the most.
This 12 months I’ve additionally been listening to a variety of Infantile Gambino.
I am the kind of one that will put on out one artist on one journey after which I affiliate that music with a particular journey.
You get one album that you simply love and also you simply hold repeating it – I am certain lots of people will relate to that.
That was me with the SZA album in Auckland, that is all I listened to. I had three weeks of that so it was time to vary it up once more.
But it surely was the soundtrack to me profitable the title in Auckland, so now I am hoping Infantile Gambino may be the soundtrack for a fair greater trophy right here in Melbourne.
Coco Gauff was speaking to BBC Sport’s Jonathan Jurejko at Melbourne Park.
Coco’s earlier columns from Melbourne
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