Coco Gauff hopes Serena Williams serious about making a comeback

MIAMI GARDENS — Coco Gauff is rooting for Serena Williams to make a comeback just so she can perhaps check something off her bucket list.

Coco and Serena have never faced each other, with Serena Williams retiring after the 2022 U.S. Open and the 22-year-old Gauff yet emerging as a top-5 player.

“I’ve said that forever that was my one regret when she retired,’’ Gauff said after her three-set. 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 third-round victory at the Miami Open over 105th-ranked Alycia Parks on Saturday, March 21st.

“There were times we were close (to matching up) but mostly I would lose, but there was one time she lost.’’

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Williams was reinstated into pro tennis last month after completing  six months in the anti-doping  program – a sign she’s at least mulling a return.

“If she would come back, I would love to face her- even if I got killed 1 and 1,’’ added Gauff, the fourth seed from Delray Beach. “It’s fine. I would relish that moment.’’

The topic came up because of a recent video posted by Parks of her hitting with Williams, regarded as the greatest women’s player of all time.

Parks, who lives in Port St. Lucie and has known Gauff for 15 years, has hit with Williams when in town as much as three times a week in Jupiter, according to Substack’s Ben Rothenberg.

Serena Williams is now living in Jupiter

Williams moved recently from Palm Beach Gardens to Jupiter.

“(Serena) asked me to hit like a a year ago when I saw her at the Oscars,’’ said Gauff. “I said yes. We never found the time. I didn’t know if she was just being nice and wasn’t going to follow up. I should’ve thought she was being more serious. I remember talking to her a long time ago and saying she wasn’t coming back. But that was a long time ago. I wish I had some insight.

“We’re all sitting ducks like everyone else,’’ Coco added. “Alycia probably has the most insight. The way the videos looked, it looked like she could come back and be fine.’’

Gauff and Williams were once together on the Billie Jean Cup Team years ago.

“I had one practice with her at the Billie Jean Cup,’’ Gauff said. “And she was 40 minutes late. But it’s OK. It’s Serena.’’

Gauff now has two three-set wins in her Miami Open journey as she moves to the fourth round. She’s never gotten past the fourth at Hard Rock Stadium. With her mysterious arm injury, there is still doubt as she faces Sorana Cirstea of Romania on March 23.

Coco Gauff’s team did not want her to play Miami Open

“Most of my team didn’t even want me to play the tournament,’’ Gauff said after her first-round nail-biting win over Elisabetta Cocciaretto on March 19. “But I just kind of vetoed it. I kind of want to prove them wrong. That’s what I was thinking about, honestly. I didn’t want them to be like, “We told you.” I feel I have to win a few more matches to prove them wrong.’’

The forearm injury that forced her withdrawal amid her third-round match at Indian Wells, Calif., against Alexandra Eala hasn’t completely vanished. She said she felt it in her first match and then again Saturday midway through the third set.

“I felt it at 3-0, took some Advil and it’s kicking in now because the match was almost over,’’ Gauff said. “It wasn’t terrible.’’

Gauff hasn’t changed her routine of staying in Delray instead of the player’s hotel in the Brickell neighborhood in downtown Miami.

“It’s 20 more minutes than from Brickell,’’ Gauff said. “I’d rather spend the extra 20 minutes in the car driving and be home.’’

Gauff admits family can be a distraction and her two brothers get really loud during matches.

“The biggest thing is just wanting to do really well in front of your family and I had to remind myself today (that) they’re always watching regardless if they’re in person or not,’’ Gauff said. “I tried to take that pressure off.’’

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Could we see Coco Gauff vs. Serena Williams in tennis’ future?