You could say that both tennis fans and sponsors were on to Coco Gauff long ago. Gauff began to make a splash almost immediately upon turning pro in 2018. The following year, in 2019, the teen phenom made the fourth round at Wimbledon, and followed suit the next January, with a fourth round appearance at the 2020 Australian Open.

And last summer, amidst her ascent to WTA’s world No. 4 ranking, the Atlanta-born tennis star made it to her first Grand Slam final, at the 2022 French Open, where she lost to world No. 1 Iga Świątek, of Poland.

This weekend, as the U.S. Open’s No. 6-seed, Gauff snagged her first Grand Slam singles title, beating 2023 Australian Open winner Aryna Sabalenka in three sets (2-6, 6-3, 6-2) at Arthur Ashe in New York on Saturday.

In doing so, Gauff became the youngest American U.S. Open champion since Serena Williams won it back in 1999 at age 17.

Along the way to the final, Gauff defeated 10-seed Karolina Muchova, and WTA veterans Jeļena Ostapenko and Caroline Wozniacki.

After winning her first Grand Slam, Gauff credited her own dedication and the support of family and coaches for her big win.

“I’ve always believed that age is just a number, and your dreams are there to be chased no matter how old you are,” said Gauff after the final. “This victory means the world to me, and I hope it inspires others to chase their dreams with determination and passion.”

In the last decade, only three other Americans besides Gauff have won a WTA Grand Slam singles event.

Sofia Kenin won the 2020 Australian Open and before Kenin’s first Grand Slam win, Sloane Stephens won the 2017 US Open. Serena Williams won five total Grand Slams since 2014, winning the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon, all in 2015.

Gauff is also only the third American teenager to win the women's singles at the US Open in the Open Era, after Tracy Austin (in 1979 and 1981) and Serena Williams (in 1999). Monica Seles, who won the U.S. Open in both 1991 and 1992 was, at the time, still representing Yugoslavia, according to Wettfreunde.net.

During her 27-year career, Williams earned just short of $95 million of prize money and is the WTA’s overall leader in earnings. Gauff so far has earned just over $11 million in her career.

A year ago at the U.S Open, which was won by (longtime/previous No. 1 Iga Świątek, the other story—a possibly bigger story—of the tournament was Serena Williams’ retirement.

Williams had won every Grand Slam tournament, totaling 23 Grand Slam singles trophies and 73 career titles, essentially dominating the conversation in women’s tennis ever since being ranked world No.1 in July 2002. Williams also has won four Olympic gold medals: three in doubles and one singles gold medal at London 2012.

With Williams retired and a much wider array of international competitors winning big events in tennis today, Gauff could be the just American star the game’s biggest sponsors have been looking for.

Today, now ranked at world No. 3, chances are Gauff will be in high demand.

Certainly, New Balance, Gauff’s shoe endorsement partner, thinks so. Gauff has been on board with New Balance since she turned pro in 2018.

“We are honored to be a part of Coco’s incredible journey and are so proud to have her a part of the New Balance Family,” said Chris Davis, New Balance’s chief marketing officer and Sr. Vice President of Merchandising.

Gauff added, “I could never have done this without the support of my family and my team, and I am forever grateful for partners like New Balance (who) feel like an extension of my family and who have been with me since I was 14 years old.”

Davis pointed out that, even at 14 years old, New Balance, “could see what a special talent she was on the court but also off,” and accredited her performance at the 2023 US Open to her hard work. “We look forward to supporting her throughout her long career.”

Last fall, Gauff re-upped her deal with the Boston-based company and launched New Balance’s signature Coco CG1 performance tennis shoe.

So, what else is in the works for Gauff?

Last summer, Gauff joined up with Autograph.io to drop her first NFT, becoming part of a vast and prestigious roster of athletes that also includes superstars such as Tom Brady, Tiger Woods, Usain Bolt, and Simone Biles, to name a few.

Gauff also revealed in 2019 that she was in a multi-year sponsorship agreement with the Italian food manufacturer Barilla, as well as a partnership with Microsoft . Plus, there’s also her partnership with audio and electronics giant Bose, for whom Gauff revealed that her music consists of artists J. Cole, Dr. Dre, and Childish Gambino.

While Gauff’s $3 million U.S. Open prize money, won this weekend, could be a drop in the bucket over her career. Should she follow in Serena Williams’ footsteps, it’s almost certain that we’ll see more of Gauff’s face everywhere soon.

Read Frye’s interviews with Leylah Fernandez and Billie Jean King.