“I was only saying thank you.”
She’s only 19, but she’s setting quite an example for all of us. Perhaps your first memory of Coco Gauff is that of an eight-year-old girl smiling and dancing in the stands to Carly Rae Jepsen’s Call Me Maybe. That may be when Gauff first began to win hearts, at least among some in the world of tennis. (Now everyone wants to see the video clip.) I don’t want to make you feel old, but that was the 2012 U.S. Open. Time flies when you’re having fun, friends.
This year, Gauff looked up during her ten-game comeback in the third round and saw Justin Bieber. Here’s what she said later: “I was like, ‘I can’t lose in front of Justin Bieber!’ I didn’t lose a game after I saw him.”
Saturday, after Miss Gauff won the 2023 U.S. Open, she didn’t get up and dance. Instead, she dropped to her knees to pray. As the world was watching her there in the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, some in the media described the moment without ever mentioning the obvious prayer. But not Coco. In an interview with Hoda Kotb, the tennis champion explained what was going on in the immediate aftermath of her impressive victory: “I was only saying thank you, and I understood all the tough times were just to make that moment even sweeter. I think if it came easy, I wouldn’t feel as appreciative as I did in that moment, clearly.”
“I was only saying thank you.”
It had not in fact been easy for Gauff to get to that moment. Even that very day, she had fumbled the opening set against second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka. Then, just like in our favorite movies, Coco emerged with a string of spitball returns that seemed to change everything. It was hard-fought on every level, but soon the trophy was hers. The stadium exploded in cheers! While Gauff was on the floor, everyone else was up and celebrating! Tennis players, celebrities, and even U.S. Presidents extended their congratulatory tributes to the young lady who had first exposed her talent as a 15-year-old defeating Venus Williams at Wimbledon. Coco had become the youngest American woman to win the U.S. Open since Serena Williams in 1999.
To one interviewer, Gauff described her September 1 comeback against Elise Mertens like this: “If anything, the three setters show everybody else that I’m not going down without a fight.” G.R.I.T. In my humble opinion, that’s what you call it. To another interviewer, she explained: “I don’t pray for results. I just ask that I get the strength to give it my all. Whatever happens, happens. I’m so blessed in this life. I’m just thankful for this moment. I don’t have any words for it, to be honest.”
Our Lord Jesus had something to say about a simple word of thanks. Ten lepers, who had stood at a distance because of their untouchable condition, were miraculously healed by Christ (Luke 17:11-19). But only one returned to give Him thanks. Jesus asked, “Where are the nine?” But to the grateful “foreigner” who took the time to express his heartfelt praise, Jesus spoke these amazing words of life: “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” Thanks for reminding us, Coco. Thank you.
“I was only saying thank you.”
In her extended season of preparation for Saturday’s monumental achievement, Coco chose to largely ignore all the voices which sought to invade her headspace. She tuned out her critics as well as her fans. From her perspective, “This time around, I’ve been focusing more on myself and my expectations of myself and not going on social media or listening to people who believe that I can win or believe that I can’t.”
We can all learn from Miss Gauff. There’s only one voice that we most need to hear. One voice. Only one.
Listening with you,
Pastor Charles
We don’t say thank you near enough. How often we pray and ask but how often do we thank God when our prayers are answered. Ask and you shall receive. God gives us what we need ,not always what we ask him.