American tennis phenom Coco Gauff already has played in front of numerous high-profile spectators during the early stages of her career, including Barack and Michelle Obama, Jimmy Butler and Billie Jean King.
But one celebrity in particular apparently had a rather profound effect on the 19-year-old during her third-round victory at the U.S. Open on Friday night: Justin Bieber.
Gauff, who advanced with a three-set win over Belgium’s Elise Mertens, credited her “Never Say Never” attitude to the pop icon, explaining that she caught a glimpse of him and wife Hailey Bieber in the stands during the match.