Coco Gauff Says Justin Bieber Inspired Her U.S. Open Comeback Victory
Coco Gauff was struggling in the third round of the U.S. Open on Friday when she spotted a familiar face in the crowd.
“I definitely saw who was there,” the 19-year-old said on the ESPN broadcast after the match, per CNN. “I thought, ‘I cannot lose in front of Justin Bieber.’ I didn’t lose a game after I saw that.”'
Gauff initially dropped her opening set, but regrouped and came back to a 3-6 6-3 6-0 win against Belgium’s Elise Mertens to reach the fourth round of the tournament.
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Bieber was one of several celebrities in attendance at the match. He sat alongside his wife, Hailey, and NBA star Jimmy Butler. The pop star was casually dressed in jeans, a tank top under a leather jacket and a pair of thick pink sunglasses.
Gauff said she was a little starstruck by Bieber's presence, but added, “I got a little tight when I first saw him, then I remembered President (Barack) Obama and Michelle Obama were at my first-round match,” she said, according to Reuters.
“I was definitely star-struck with Justin. ‘Never Say Never’ was … one of my favorite songs when I was a kid. Then ‘Baby, Oh, Baby.’ I could go through all his songs. Then Hailey, too, coming. I guess it was a little date night for them, which was really cool.”
Gauff is currently the sixth-seed but is a fan favorite. Other celebs including tennis great Billie Jean King and Vogue editor Anna Wintour have been in attendance to watch her play. She will face former No.1 world ranked Caroline Wozniacki Sunday (Sept. 3). Wozniacki is playing in her first Grand Slam since coming back from retirement and having two children.
