“In America, it’s a thing that Black fathers aren’t great fathers”
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Andy Roddick’s recent words of praise for Coco Gauff’s father Corey have caught the American youngster’s attention, making her very glad about the fact that her father was finally getting his much-deserved flowers.
Speaking in his podcast, Roddick praised Corey Gauff for not taking the spotlight out of his daugher, especially considering that it was not something common in the world of tennis.
“Corey Gauff was here also and his ability to not be the center of attention, doesn’t need the information to come from him, that is rare and it sounds like something that should be very obvious and it’s not. In the history of our sport it is not,” Andy Roddick said.
Gauff, as it turns out, has seen Roddick’s words, as she admitted as much during her pre-tournament press conference at the 2024 Qatar Open. The World No. 3 pointed out how Black fathers, especially in America, have been stigmatized to the extent that they are thought of as absentee fathers for the most part.
“I think that for me it was a great thing that Andy said that, and I’m really happy that he said that, because, you know, in tennis there are situations where parents in general in the past have been not as kind and kind of terrible to their kids.”
“And I know that they have that stigma. The world in general, especially in America with Black fathers, it’s always a thing that Black fathers aren’t in their kids’ lives or that they are not great leaders or households, great fathers,” Coco Gauff said.
Her father, however, was nothing like that, Gauff reiterated, adding that he did everything to get to her to this stage in her career. Now that Roddick has put that out in the open, Coco Gauff hoped more people would recognize her father for who he was and give him the recognition he deserved.
“So when Andy said that, I think people actually listened, because I always talk about how great my dad is, but some people believe me and some people don’t, but my dad is truly a great father. He’s done everything to get me where I am, and I’m glad that other people see that, because he’s not the type of person to be in the front spotlight,” Coco Gauff said.
“He’s not the type of person to try to take anything away from my accomplishments, but he definitely is — everything I have accomplished is definitely his accomplishments too, because I wouldn’t be here without him,” she added.
Coco Gauff: “I just am glad a little piece of the world gets to see how great a person my father is, because he won’t do it”
“In America, it’s a thing that Black fathers aren’t great fathers” 2024-02-11 19:34:00