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It was a dream come true for 15-year-old tennis phenom Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff, not only for making it to Wimbledon, but she finally got to meet her real-life inspiration, Michelle Obama.
—Teen sensation Cori ‘Coco’ Gauff just beat Venus Williams at Wimbledon—
Obama and Gauff both gushed on Instagram, sharing the emotional moment when they met in Washington, D.C. and hugged it out, The Daily Mail reports.
“This afternoon, I was thrilled to visit with @CocoGauff. When we talk about the potential of our young people, we often think about it as some far-off promise, years or decades away. But the truth is they have so much to offer us right now—something we all saw a few weeks ago at Wimbledon. Coco is a wonderful young woman who’s showing us that we don’t have to wait to see what the next generation can do.”
Gauff admits that she was “nervous” she met the former fist lady who she considers her “idol.”
Gauff wrote on a photo of the two: “Today I got to meet my idol @michelleobama. Her words and wisdom on my journey will stay with me on the court over the course of my career.
“She is a true inspiration. I have never arrived, I am always becoming! Thank you for your time.”
Gauff held up a signed copy of Obama’s best-selling book, ‘Becoming,’ which read:
“To Coco, I wish you courage, strength, joy and love on your journey to become more. Warmly, Michelle Obama.”
Gauff rose to fame fast after becoming the youngest player to qualify for Wimbledon as a professional and she beat out five-time champion Venus Williams in the first round. But she ultimately lost to former No. 1 Simona Halep.
—Donald Trump blames faulty White House air conditioner on former President Barack Obama—