A few people would expect Kobe Bryant to care for other sports other than the one that made him popular. But with the 2019 U.S. Open in full swing, Bryant has come out as a tennis fan, expressing his support for some of the players that have descended into New York from all over the world. He has been particularly vocal about being a fan of two young stars: defending champion Naomi Osaka and wildcard Coco Gauff.
Kobe Bryant confesses to being a Coco Gauff fan
According to the Los Angeles Times, Bryant admires Gauff’s poise and maturity. The 41-year old former NBA star called Gauff a “phenomenon” and praised her confidence and consistency. He is also amazed at the fact that Gauff is already playing the U.S. Open main draw as she is just 15-year- old. In particular, Bryant was impressed with how Gauff maintained her cool despite losing the first set of her opening round match with Russian player Anastasia Potapova.
Bryant and Osaka exchange praises
On the other hand, Bryant’s connection with Osaka is more personal. Osaka gave a positive review of the book that Bryant co-wrote called “Legacy and the Queen.” But apart from that, Bryant said that he and Osaka have been hanging out together. Osaka, for her part, returned the admiration, saying that she looks up to Bryant because of his longevity in the field of sports. She also said that Bryant gives her life advice, which she appreciates.
If anything, Bryant relates to the pressures of being a young star in a sport just like Osaka and Gauff. He was just 18 when he was thrust into the NBA as a player and he grew up largely in the public eye.
Bryant also knows how difficult it is to retain the consistency of your performance as you grow up in the world of sports. Growing old after you shoot to stardom can mean more pressure and commitments outside of the court that you may forget about what matters: your love for the sport.
Bryant watches Osaka’s second-round match
If there is proof that Bryant is indeed a fan of Osaka, the fact that he watched Osaka’s match with Poland’s Magda Linette would be one. Bryant joined a star-studded audience, where he sat with former NFL player Colin Kaepernick and Osaka’s rumored boyfriend, rapper YBN Cordae.
When asked about the presence of Kaepernick and Bryant in the audience, Osaka expresses how everything still felt so surreal, remarking that the two would not be in her box last year. She also joked that she was more concerned that they would be exposed to the sun too long while watching her game.
Cori Gauff’s ranking and performance in 2019
Ranked no.140 (career-high), Cori played her last match on the 31st of August when she lost Naomi Osaka 6-3 6-0 in the 3rd round in U.S. Open.
She will break in the top100 starting from next week.
