Coco Gauff Details Her Stalking Horror Following American Olympic Gold Medalist’s Bone-Chilling Account

In sports, fame is an inevitable part of a player’s journey. Once an individual’s name shoots to success, there’s no looking back. With enormous popularity, however, comes the risk of harassment – online or offline. One doesn’t even need to go back in time to look for examples. WNBA star from Indian Fever Caitlin Clark faced a harrowing incident this year itself – in early January. A 55-year-old man was charged with stalking after he was arrested. And on Thursday, Olympic Gold medalist Gabby Thomas revealed she was being followed by a group of men. It drew a reaction from compatriot and tennis star Coco Gauff, who recalled her own disturbing instances.

For the unversed, track and field athlete Gabby Thomas took to her TikTok and posted a video, dated January 30. Asking her followers for advice on what she should do in such cases, she reported that several men had been approaching her to sign stacks of photos at different airports. No matter where she goes, they follow her while asking for signatures. “It doesn’t matter what city,” she said as reported by NBC News on Thursday. “They’ve come when I was traveling to and from Chicago, they’ve come when I’m traveling to and from Miami. And they have my flight information.”

She also mentioned that she didn’t feel safe on most occasions while coming across these men. Especially while traveling alone. “What scares me is that they have my flight information even when I don’t even know what time I’m flying out sometimes — I don’t tell anyone my flight information,” she added. It didn’t take long for her close friend and 2023 US Open winner Coco Gauff to comment on Thomas’ TikTok video. “This happens to me too, I don’t know how it happens,” she wrote as reported by NBC News. Trying to give a possible explanation behind such instances she added, “My theory is maybe someone at the airport tips them off.”

However, stalking at airports isn’t the only scary thing to have happened to the 2024 WTA Finals winner. Even before she shot to fame with her title win at the Flushing Meadows, the 20-year-old had experienced a disturbing incident.

When Coco Gauff and her family had to take help from police

Back in July 2019, Coco Gauff became a huge sensation after she pulled off an incredible win against Venus Williams. At Wimbledon, Gauff faced the seven-time Major champion in the first round and eventually beat her 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets. It was perhaps the biggest upset of the event that time. As a result, a young Gauff was catapulted into the limelight, becoming a household name. But she soon came to realize the downsides of being popular. How, you wonder?

Talking to Teen Vogue, in August 2019, a 15-year-old Coco Gauff mentioned that she was followed by a car. She was traveling with her parents. The situation got so intense that they had to eventually stop their car and report to a police station. “We’ve just kind of been making sure we change our schedule every day so no one, like, I don’t know, figures out what we do. My dad’s crazy, so I think we’ll be OK,” she said.

But that instance didn’t deter her motivation to become a successful player. She knows that popularity and attention comes naturally when you reach a certain level. Previously, she didn’t witness such moments but now “I have people, like, stopping me on the street and everything,” while implying that “I guess it’s a plus.” Well that’s the spirit of a great player, isn’t it? One should always focus on the brighter side.