Coco Gauff became the youngest American woman since Serena Williams to make a Grand Slam final.- Following her biggest win yet, the 18-year-old used her platform to spotlight
gun violence issues.
Coco Gauff secured the biggest victory of her tennis career on Thursday.
The 18-year-old American superstar bested Italian Martina Trevisan in straight sets to advance to Saturday's
And to commemorate by far the biggest accomplishment of her young career, Gauff chose "to use the platform that I have" to speak out about societal issues. This time, that issue was gun violence; immediately following her win, the recent high school graduate wrote "Peace" and "End gun violence" on a camera lens at
—The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) June 2, 2022
Just over a week after a gunman her age shot and killed 21 people — including 19 children — at a Texas elementary school, Gauff chose to spotlight America's continued epidemic of mass shootings. In the 153 days of 2022 so far, there have been 233 mass shootings — incidents in which four or more civilians die at the hands of firearms — in the United States, including Wednesday's shooting at Tulsa Medical Center in Oklahoma, which left four people dead.
"It's a problem," Gauff said during a post-match interview. "It's been going on for years in the US, and I wanted to bring that attention."
"I know how many people are watching that match," she added. "So maybe [it will bring] some global attention to what's going on in the US. And I think we definitely need some change and reform regarding that aspect."
Though she's still among the youngest stars on the tour, Gauff has never shied away from tackling topics many see as controversial. She's given impassioned speeches at Black Lives Matter protests, offered powerful social media messages about police brutality, and spoken out about the importance of prioritizing mental health.
Her message on Thursday was par for the course.
"Ever since I was young, you guys know I used my platform to bring attention to topics," Gauff said. "And today was one of those days."
Gauff, who has yet to drop a single set at this year's French Open, will take on World No. 1 Iga Swiatek in this weekend's final. The Polish star — who earned the French Open title in 2020 — heads into the championship match having won 34-straight matches and boasting an unbeaten streak of more than 100 days.
The two will face off Saturday at 9 a.m. ET, or 3 p.m. local time, for a chance to hoist the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup at Roland-Garros.