"It means so much to me when someone tells me they picked up a tennis racket because of me" - Coco Gauff on her influence over the younger generation 

Coco Gauff is one of the most exciting prospects on the tennis circuit right now. She burst onto the scene at the 2019 Wimbledon Championships and recently played her first Grand Slam final at the French Open.

Since turning professional, Gauff has been a role model for youngsters across the world. In an interview with Forbes, Gauff urged young people to dream big and follow their dreams, and said it was an honour to know that she has inspired youngsters to pick up the sport.

"I always tell them to dream big because it is something I live by. I never thought I would be in my position, and it can really happen to anyone if you are willing to work hard and set goals. It means so much to me when someone tells me that they picked up a tennis racket because of me or that they tried something new because of me," Gauff said.

She reflected on an impressive career despite being just 18 years old, and said she is still growing as a player.

"I have learned to not look so much at the results and tune out the outside pressures. It has taken a lot of work and I am still growing and learning how to do that, but focusing on the process, trying to relax as much as possible and just have fun has always produced some of my best tennis," Gauff said.

The teenager from Florida, who has shown nerves of steel while competing at the highest level, credited her family for her composure.

"My family. They are my rock. Without them, none of this would be possible so they really keep me grounded. When I am home, I love going to my little brothers' sporting events and supporting them. I also just really love tennis and when you love something it is easy to stay focused and continue to work toward your dreams even when times get tough," she said.

“I love connecting with my fans, especially my younger fan base” - Coco Gauff on her NFT collection

Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula pose with the doubles runners-up trophy at the French Open

Grand Slam finalist Coco Gauff also boasts of an NFT collection. She described her collection to be colourful and representing her passions in life.

“I love connecting with my fans, especially my younger fan base. I wanted my collection to be as colourful, fun, and truthful to my passions as possible,” Gauff said.

Autograph, an NFT platform that aims to bring legendary sportspeople onto the digital space, launched a 'Coco Gauff NFT' collection that went on sale on 7 June.

The firm was co-founded by Tom Brady, the NFL legend, and is headquartered in Los Angeles. The American teenager explained how the NFT collection reflected her personality.

"The team at Autograph really let our group of next-gen athletes express themselves in the collection and worked with us to ensure our personalities shined through in our collections. So, you will see some inspiration taken from anime and superheroes that went into creating the artwork for my NFTs," Gauff said.