5 Christian Responses to Prayer by Coco Gauff

Creator: Leonardo Blairchief reporter Monday, September 11, 2023

When ESPN analyst and former skilled tennis participant Mary Joe Fernández requested 19-year-old Coco Gauff what it meant to her to win her first Grand Slam title throughout Saturday's US Open trophy ceremony, she wasted no time reflecting on the position her religion performed alongside the best way.

“Meaning a lot to me. I really feel like I'm somewhat bit in shock at this level,” she informed Fernández in a court docket interview as she collected her ideas.

“You already know shedding the French Open was heartbreaking for me. However I notice, , God places you thru tribulations and trials, and that makes this second sweeter than I may have imagined.”

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Ever since she burst onto the world stage at age 15 with a win over tennis legend Venus Williams at Wimbledon in 2019, expectations had been excessive that Gauff would win a Grand Slam title, however she struggled to take action.

Though she reached her first Grand Slam remaining on the French Open at Roland-Garros in 2022, she misplaced to Iga Swiatek of Poland. In 2023, at Roland Garros, she was knocked out by Swiatek within the fourth spherical, and at Wimbledon, she misplaced within the first spherical to American Sofia Kenin.

Shortly earlier than the beginning of the US Open trophy ceremony, a now-viral video captured on reside tv after her 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over the brand new world No. 1, Belarus' Aryna Sabalenkova, confirmed Gauff. kneeling in prayer.

“We noticed you pray, get down in your knees. You imagine in your self loads. How vital was that to you on this journey?” Fernández requested.

“You already know it was so vital,” Gauff replied. “You already know I don't pray for outcomes. I'm simply asking to be given the energy to offer it my all and no matter occurs, occurs. I’m so blessed on this life. So I'm so grateful for this second. To be sincere, I’ve no phrases for it.”

Gauff, a member of the historic Saint John Missionary Baptist Church in Boynton Seashore, Fla., has beforehand spoken in regards to the significance of her religion and church household.

So it was no shock when many Christians who noticed Gauff's prayer and knew how vocal she was about her religion responded when ESPN's flagship program, SportsCenter, famous in a submit on X, previously often called Twitter, that Gauff was simply second discovered “Soak all of it in after she gained her first Grand Slam title.”

Tony Dungy, the NFL's first black coach to win a Tremendous Bowl, was among the many first of quite a lot of Christian leaders to right ESPN's description of Gauff's prayer.

“I hate to interrupt it to you SportsCenter, however Coco Gauff is just not 'soaking it' at this level. She was praying,” he stated listed on X. “She has been very open about her Christian religion prior to now. It appears fairly apparent what he's doing right here.”

I hate to interrupt it to you SportsCenter, however Coco Gauff wasn't “soaking it” at this level. She prayed. She has been very open about her Christian religion prior to now. It appears clear what he's doing right here. https://t.co/UOZ6zoCEPC

— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) September 10, 2023

The next pages spotlight how different Christians responded.