‘I don’t think people should be dying in the streets just for existing,’ Gauff said Feb. 16 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
As one of the top competitors in the world, the 21-year-old spends much of her tennis season overseas. She said it’s hard to watch developments in the United States related to President Trump’s immigration policies. Renee Good and Alex Pretti were killed in Minneapolis last month by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
‘It is tough to wake up and see something because I do care a lot about our country,’ Gauff said. ‘I think people think I don’t for some reason, but I do. I’m very proud to be American.
‘You don’t have to represent the entire values of what’s going on in the leadership. I think there’s a lot of people around that believe in the things I believe in, believe in diversity and equality.’
Gauff, who has previously used her platform to speak out about politics and social issues, told the media this week she felt comfortable sharing her thoughts. She pointed to her family history.
In 1961, the Florida native’s maternal grandmother, Yvonne Lee Odom, was the first Black student to integrate Seacrest High School in Delray Beach, Florida.
‘My grandma is literally an activist,’ Gauff said. ‘This is literally my life. I’m OK answering tough questions.’
