Coco Gauff has said Serena Williams inspired her to play tennis after the 23-time grand slam champion’s decision to ‘evolve away’ from the sport. ‘I grew up watching her, that’s the reason I play tennis … I saw somebody who looked like me dominating the game and it made me believe I could dominate too,’ she said. Bianca Andreescu also commented on Williams’ retirement, saying she hopes to continue on her legacy of ‘inspiring and motivating other women in sports’.