By ReShonda Tate, The Houston Defender
Coco Gauff did what Coco Gauff does — dominated the court, played with grit and grace and walked away victorious. But what happened after her most recent win at the French Open said just as much about the world we live in as the match itself.
Rather than acknowledge Gauff’s skill, her opponent, Aryna Sabalenka, chalked up the loss to self-inflicted mistakes. As if Coco wasn’t just… better.
To be clear, athletes often dissect their performance, and it’s not unheard of to critique one’s own game. But this felt different. It was a subtle refusal to give a young Black woman her full flowers — a quiet, coded dismissal we’ve seen before. And Black women everywhere recognized it for what it was – another attempt to dim our light.
They hate to see us shine.
From the boardroom to the classroom, from politics to pop culture and yes, even on the tennis court, Black women are constantly “othered” — picked apart, doubted and minimized. Our confidence is seen as arrogance. Our passion as aggression. Our excellence as exceptional… but never quite earned.
Coco has been the target of this double standard since she first stepped on the scene at 15, outplaying veterans and handling post-match press conferences with poise beyond her years. And with every win, the scrutiny grows. Not just about her game, but her attitude. Her walk. Her very presence.
But Coco Gauff is not the exception. She is the embodiment of generations of Black women who have had to work twice as hard to be seen as half as good, and still smile through it. Her wins feel personal to us because they are. She carries the weight of visibility on her shoulders, whether she asked for it or not.
We’ve seen it with Serena and Venus. With Simone Biles. With Michelle Obama. With Megan Thee Stallion. With the coworker who gets labeled “intimidating” just for being confident. With the student who’s told she’s “too much” for daring to raise her hand with pride.
What we’re witnessing with Coco is more than a tennis story. It’s a reflection of what Black women face daily — being doubted, second-guessed and still showing up ready to conquer.
So yes, they hate to see us shine. But here’s the thing: we shine anyway. Unapologetically. Unbothered. Unstoppable.
Coco Gauff is proof that excellence will not be denied. Not today. Not ever. And no matter how hard they try to rewrite the narrative, the truth is written in every serve, every forehand, every win: she earned it. She deserved it. She is it.
And Black Girl Magic? It’s not just real. It’s undefeated.
This editorial was originally published in The Houston Defender.
Photo by Ismael Abdal Naby studio: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-black-and-white-photo-of-a-woman-holding-a-tennis-racket-14679399/
