DELRAY BEACH, Fla. — Coco Gauff's name is synonymous with women's tennis in Delray Beach.
Delray Beach Tennis Center General Manager Jeff Bingo put it this way: "Coco's the biggest name in women's tennis, not just Delray."
On Tuesday, she reached the U.S. Open semifinals in New York for the first time, defeating 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko 6-0, 6-2.
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Coco Gauff, 19, reaches first US Open semifinal
Delray Beach resident and tennis enthusiast Claudel Robert said she defines "excellence I think and the fact that she's extremely young 19 doing what she's doing I think is great for the community at large."
This week in particular, with the U.S. Open underway, the No. 6-ranked Gauff is top of mind for many, including those like Bingo.
"I think she's probably the greatest thing right now for the game," Bingo said and added, "The torch has been passed from the Williams sisters (Venus and Serena). Her practice, her work ethic, just everything is so admirable, the way she speaks for children, and she's going bring a lot of good things to tennis."
Robert agrees, it all starts in Delray.
"I remember the exhibition back in the early 2000s, I think, when I saw Serena and Venus play right here and Andy Roddick," Robert said.
The latest win in the quarterfinals is a big one.
It marks the first time a teen reached the semifinals at Flushing Meadow since Serena Williams was the runner-up to her older sister, Venus, in 2001.
Over at the home of her grandparents in Delray Beach, there was only one choice of programming at noon.
"Yeah, I stay nervous with her," grandmother Yvonne Odom said.
The match had both grandparents on pins and needles in the best way.
"So far, so good, so don't jinx it," Odom said. "Yeah, she's doing good."
Practice and support from her home team are paying off.
"It's her time I think," Odom said with pride, "and I knew it early it's just a matter of time and with God’s grace and make sure she keeps her strength and health."
The semifinals are scheduled for Thursday.
