Coco Gauff won her fist Grand Slam before calling out her dad, amid emotional scenes at the US Open on Saturday night.
After losing the opening set in New York against Aryna Sabalenka, the home favourite came back to take a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 victory, sparking joyous celebrations in the stadium.
Straight after winning, Gauff made her way into the stands to embrace her parents and members of her team, before making her way back to the court to give her victory speech.
"Thank you first to my parents," said the 19-year-old. "Today was the first time I've ever seen my dad cry. He doesn't want me to tell you all that but he got caught in 4K! "He thinks he's so hard.
Coco Gauff addresses her mam and dad
At this point the cameras were on Coco's father Corey and mother Candi, with her dad jokingly gesturing for his daughter to stop making a show of him.
"Thank you guys, you believed in from the beginning," continued Coco. "My dad took me to this tournament, sitting right there watching Venus and Serena compete so it's really incredible to be on this stage."
Gauff also had words for anyone who doubted her throughout her fledgling tennis career, explaining how the critics have motivated her to reach the top of the tennis world.
"Thank you to the people who didn't believe in me," she said. "I've tried my best to carry this with grace and I've been doing my best. Honestly, those who thought you were putting water on my fire, you were really adding gas to it and I'm burning so bright right now.
"He got caught in 4K" 📸
Coco Gauff has finally seen her Dad cry 🤣 pic.twitter.com/TMnmacpZnM— Sky Sports (@SkySports) September 9, 2023
Coco Gauff: A tennis sensation
Gauff has been known to sports fans since bursting onto the scene at Wimbledon as a 15-yeaer-old back in 2019.
There, she managed to beat one of her idols in Venus Williams before making her exit at the fourth round of the competition.
Her first final came at the French Open in 2022, and her victory at Flushing Meadows on Saturday night marks another major milestone in what promises to be a glittering tennis career.
11 years later, this 8-year-old girl is the #USOpen champion!!! pic.twitter.com/4luBjb1SHt
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) September 9, 2023
"Call me Champion"
As Gauff mentioned in her speech, she attended the US Open as a child, and sure enough, footage of the young star singing and dancing to Carly Rae Jepson's Call Me Maybe in the stands back in 2012 has gone viral since her victory.
"Call Me Champion" was the slogan worn on t-shirts by Gauff and her entourage after her win, and not for the last time, you'd sense.
