Coco Gauff is having quite the year.
Before reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 4 in singles last fall, the American reached No. 1 seed status in doubles last August.
After winning her first two matches at the ongoing National Bank Open in Montreal, Gauff, 19, is just one step away from reaching the quarter-final at the Canadian tournament.
All that winning has been getting the young star recognized — well, sort of.
The Atlanta native took to Twitter this week, chiming on a popular thread that posed the following question: “You ever had a racist experience, but it was funny?”
According to her, tennis fans often mistake her for other players such as Sloane Stephens, Alycia Parks, and the Williams sisters, Venus and Serena. Gauff even admitted to signing autographs as whoever the respective fan thinks she is.
Perhaps the most surprising misunderstanding came this week when a Montreal fan at IGA Stadium mistook her for local legend Leylah Fernandez, which Gauff also laughed off.
I sign autographs as myself but occasionally I am somehow also signing as Sloane, Venus, Serena, Taylor, Alycia, and yesterday I got Leylah for the first time lollll. https://t.co/bnynHNkwCA
— Coco Gauff (@CocoGauff) August 9, 2023
In the replies, Gauff’s doubles partner, fellow American player Jessie Pegula revealed that she, too, had had her identity mistaken. Pegula chimed in on the thread, writing, “One time I signed and the woman thought I was you…that one got me lol” about her teammate.
One time I signed and the woman thought I was you…that one got me lol
— Jessie Pegula (@JPegula) August 9, 2023
After Gauff beat British No. 1 player Katie Boulter 6-2, 6-2, and Fernandez got the best of Brazil’s Beatriz Haddad Maia on Wednesday, both players advanced to the third round.
Some fans may have to get their eyes checked if Fernandez and Gauff keep winning, though. If all goes well for them, there’s a possibility that the two will face off in the tournament’s semi-final.
The National Bank Open kicked off on August 4 and will conclude on August 13.
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