Tennis star Coco Gauff becomes a Gen Z icon for pointing out her millennial opponent was bending the rules, with $3 million at stake: ‘How is this fair?’

Coco Gauff on the court at the U.S. open, wearing a neon yellow New Balance tank top and skirt. (Credit: Sarah Stier—Getty Images)

“Coco Gauff, nothing easy about that match. Describe what it was like to play it,” an interviewer asked the tennis prodigy moments after her first-round victory at the U.S. Open. The 19-year-old paused for a beat before answering with a smirk, “Slow,” causing the crowd to erupt in cheers and applause. 

Gauff has gone viral on social media after confronting an umpire who turned a blind eye to her 35-year-old German opponent allegedly breaking the rules during their Monday match at the U.S. Open. Everyone from TikTokers to the Obamas are praising the young player for standing up for herself and for her maturity in handling the situation. Others are comparing her treatment to the experience of another tennis legend—23-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams during a U.S. Open final in 2018.