The next question Saturday was about being on tour without her younger sister, Serena, who wrapped up her career at last year’s U.S. Open. The reply: “Not as much fun.”
That followed a 2022 in which she participated in just four contests — all in August or September, meaning she missed the season’s initial three Grand Slam tournaments, including Wimbledon — and a 2021 in which she accumulated only a dozen. In tennis terms, that means reaching the No. 1 ranking, winning seven major singles titles, the most among active women — and five came at Wimbledon, the first in 2000, most recent in 2008 — and another 14 in women’s doubles — all with her sibling. Away from the court, she learned to live with Sjögren’s syndrome, an energy-sapping auto-immune disease that can cause joint pain; she announced her diagnosis in 2011.
“Obviously, just her grit for every match, every ball. I watched a couple of her matches last week,” Gauff said. “Just the will to want every point is something that’s inspiring.”