Serena Williams has an answer for her ideal padel partner. The tennis and sports icon is flexing her muscles in a new but similar sport; padel has been a global sensation, with dozens of celebrities getting involved as they try to get Americans excited to join the craze. Williams is one of the latest and biggest endorsers of it, sharing that Coco Gauff is her ideal padel partner.
© GettyWilliams discussed her padel experience with Sports Illustrated. Through the conversation, she discussed her pick for a partner, one of the most important things when playing padel, a doubles-led sport. “I would have to have Coco on my team. She’s fast, she’s smart, she’s fun," she said.
She also discussed what she likes about paddle the most. "I feel like I have a full workout with half the size of a tennis court. That competitive drive still feels instinctual," she said. Still, despite how much she enjoys playing it, she's still loyal to her roots and the sport that raised her. “Tennis will always clearly be the winner in my eyes. Let’s be real," she said.
© NurPhoto via Getty ImagesElsewhere in the interview, Williams discussed some of her most storied rivals. She holds a special place for the Swiss player Martina Hingis. The two faced off 13 times throughout the years 1998 and 2002, with Williams having a 7-6 lead on her. “I’ve always been a fan of Martina Hingis. I’ve always admired her. Growing up, looking at her, I thought she was one of the most incredible players in the sport," she said.
"She was dominating, and then we came, and we dominated. That must have sucked,” said Williams, referring to her and her sister Venus. “But just getting her perspective on it — I think she was iconic to me.”
© GettyWilliams and Gauff's mentorship relationship
Serena Williams and Coco Gauff have a great mentorship relationship, with the two talking about how much they respect each other on different occasions. While they never played against each other, Gauff has often named her as one of her idols, calling her the "GOAT of GOATS."
Earlier this year, following a frustrating loss at the Australian Open, Gauff went viral for smashing her tennis racket on court, a rare gesture for her. Williams shared some advice on X. "Passion. Caring. Matters. Nothing wrong with hating to lose. Now Coco when you want I can show you how to demolish in one swipe… Serena style," she wrote.
© Fred Lee
