Venus Williams explains why she couldn't previously advise Coco Gauff
Venus Williams has opened up on why she found it difficult to give to give the likes of Coco Gauff and Madison Keys advice.
Tennis legend Venus Williams may be a big supporter of Coco Gauff, but she's not willing to advise the young star.
Gauff is currently on the hunt for her second Grand Slam title at the French Open, where she made it to the final in 2022 before falling to Iga Swiatek. The second seed kicked off her campaign with a straight-sets victory over Olivia Gadecki.
Gauff is anticipated to sail through her second-round match on Thursday as well, when she squares off against unranked Czech player Tereza Valentova. However, she can't count on guidance from the superstar she famously defeated in her first-ever Wimbledon in 2019. Williams, herself, has secured a new job.
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At just 15 years and three months old, she shocked the five-time champion in London in straight sets. She then triumphed over the same opponent in their only other encounter at the Australian Open a year later, and Williams has pointed to these outcomes as the reason she can't assist Gauff or her fellow American, Madison Keys.
Clarifying her stance, she said: "You know what? I was always playing against them," she told TNT Sports. "So, I never really got the chance to give them much advice. They were playing so well.
"I lost to both of them. So, it's not easy to be in that position where you mentor and you're playing against someone, but these girls know what they're doing."
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Despite her position, the 44-year-old is still rooting for Gauff at Roland Garros, asserting she is a "huge fan" of the 2023 US Open champion. However, she wants to see Gauff be more realistic in her self-evaluations.
"I love her passion," she added. "I think sometimes she is too hard on herself. I think she has just got to let go and allow herself to do what she can do.
"She has such big expectations of herself, so I would love to see her win here. She has come close. I came close, too. Coming close is not the goal, though, I know she wants to win."
