Tyler the Creator is one of the most underrated hip-hop artists working today, and maybe ever. His experimental style isn't for everyone, but he also doesn't care so much about that. He wants to make great and honest music, and he does.
But he rightfully has his fans, and tennis star Coco Gauff is one of them. 21-year-old Gauff won her second career Grand Slam title on Saturday by winning the French Open. She defeated Aryna Sabalenka in three sets 6-7(5) 6-2 6-4.
Then came her post-match speech. Sabalenka's was great and filled with emotion. Both players were emotional after grinding through two weeks of challenging tennis. They were tired, mentally and emotionally.
Coco Gauff gives Tyler the Creator a shoutout after the tennis star wins the French Open
Win or lose, though, they each had to make post-match speeches. It's tradition, but asking physically exhausted athletes to make speeches immediately after their event is done is a big ask, and asking for mistakes.
Like the match, though, Gauff's speech was nearly perfect. She not only had the awareness to say Sabalenka played great, and thank her team and parents, but she gave a shoutout to Tyler the Creator because of a lyric that inspired her.
In his 2024 song "St. Chroma," the rapper says, "I ain't never had a doubt inside me/And if I ever told you that I did, I'm (expletive) lyin'."
Gauff was referring to how she felt about her capability of defeating Sabalenka, the top-ranked player on the WTA tour. Neither player had won the French Open, the clay-court major, before. Gauff had no more confidence heading into the match than Sabalenka did. Tyler the Creator helped change that.
In her speech, Gauff quoted the rapper's words about self-doubt, and then added, "I'd like to leave that with (the crowd watching the match). I think I was lying to myself (about her ability to win the match), and I could definitely do it. So, shoutout to Tyler..."
There has been no social media reaction from the hip-hop artist yet, and he is active on X/Twitter, but one should expect something soon. Or maybe he just gives Gauff a call of thanks and congrats. That seems more his style.